PRESERVING CULTURE
Washington’s tribes place a highpriority on reviving
andpreserving their cultures.
Thriving tribal communitieswith arts and culture
are critically important. NativeAmerican culture
has flourished inour region for thousands of years,
despitepast failed efforts by theU.S. government
to “assimilate”NativeAmericans into thegeneral
populationby stripping away their cultural identity.
NativeAmerican children sent togovernment
boarding schoolswere forbidden to speak their
native languageor wear traditional clothes.
By investing in tribal community building
organizations,museums, art and cultural centers,
school programs, song anddance, language,
carving andweaving, and traditional foods and
medicines,Washington tribes areworking to ensure
native culture continues tobe an integral part of our
regional identity, for Indians and non-Indians alike.
“Culture andeducation is very important tome
personally, as amember of Suquamish. Seeing
youngpeople engaged in traditional song and
dance and language, and also inmakingof our art,
seeing youngpeople engaged inweaving, carving
canoes, carvingpaddles and engaged in in cultural
ceremonies is very satisfying tome.”
LeonardForsman
Chairman, SuquamishTribe
LANGUAGE
Many tribes have launchedprograms to revive their
native language.
TheConfederatedTribes of theColvilleReservation
aremadeof distinct tribes or bands and so there
are threeNative languages. Native languages
(nqlqilx
w
cntet) have not been spoken in homes as
first languages for well more than ageneration.Only
a few fluent native speakers remainon theColville
Reservation.
HeartsGatheredwas formed to revitalize the
languages by operating language immersion
schools on the reservation.
TedMoomaw is a first-linedescendant of the
ColvilleTribes and a teacher atWaterfall School. He
has become an advancedOkanogan speaker (a rare
individual who reached advanced fluency as an
adult). A certified language teacher, Ted has taught
beginning to advanced college classes in the
Okanogan languagewhileworking for theColville
Tribal LanguageProgram.
Ted has extensive
experiencedeveloping
curriculum, and
documenting and
transcribingelder
recordings. He has been
teaching atWaterfall
School since it opened
in 2010.
heartsgathered.org
SALMON ISA SYMBOLOF TRIBALCULTURE
Salmonplay an important role in the region’s
ecosystem. Salmon return from theoceanproviding
nutrients to rivers, feedingwildlife and enriching
forests. Salmon also shaped the lives of Native
Americans. Their cultures, interactionswithother
tribes, fishing technologies, and religionswere
influencedby salmon.
Fishing is still apreferred livelihood formany
NativeAmericans and an essential aspect of their
nutritional and cultural health.
“The first returnof the king salmon comes as a scout
for his people. To seehow thepeoplewill treat him.
Showinghonor and respect for thegift of sustenance,
to feed thepeople if he is treatedwell. It is about
honoring and respecting those things that come
fromnature, that areoften taken for granted, that
without acknowledging, protecting, and caring for,
will disappear.”
GlenGobin, TulalipTribesCouncilMember
CANOE JOURNEY
Canoe Journey is a celebrated tradition for the
indigenous peoples of thePacificNorthwest
Coast. It is oneof the largest regular gatherings
of indigenous people anywhere in theworldwith
nativepeoples from throughout thePacific Rim
joining tribes from
Alaska, BritishColumbia
andWashington. Host
tribeswelcome as
many as 100 canoes
and15,000people for
aweek longProtocol
Celebration. During
Protocol, canoe families take turns telling stories,
singing, drumming andperformingdances.
Canoe journeys are taken upby canoe families,
nations, andgroupswho travel inocean-going
canoes, either authentic replicas of traditional
canoes,madeout of solid cedar logs or various
replicas usingmoremodern techniques and
materials. The canoedesign features high sides and
ends tohelp keep the vessel from takingonwater
in rough seas. Canoe styles vary from tribe to tribe
andeach canoe takes skill toproduce. Each canoe
has five to10pullerswhousepaddles topropel the
canoe.
Canoe Journey is a revival of the traditional method
of transportation and is a significant cultural
experience for participants. The canoe culture had
all but disappeared until 1989when the “Paddle to
Seattle”was initiatedduring the100th anniversary
ofWashington statehood. In celebration, coastal
tribes organized thePaddle toSeattle tohelp revive
their canoe culture. Fifteen tribes participated
the first year. The journey started in La Push,
homeof theQuileute tribe, and included stops at
traditional village sites along theway. Each year, a
different nation hostsCanoe Journey. Depending
ondistance, the trip can take up to amonth.
Participants learn traditional canoe carving and
decorating, and learn towork together as a “canoe
family.”All Tribal Journey activities are family-
friendly, drug- and alcohol-free.
From thehost of the2016Canoe Journey:
“TheNisqually Tribe has participated in the annual
Canoe Journeys since1994 and has used theCanoe
Journeys to strengthen its culture, its community and
its families. Historical cultural practices, from carving
techniques togifting ceremonies, cedar weaving to
regaliamaking, havebeen revived and rediscovered,
while songs have resurfaced tobe shared at
Journey’s end. TheTribe’s prideof place andhistory
areonce againenriching the lives of young andold
alike. TheNisquallyCanoe family has learned and
taughtmany of theolder skills, and thesepractices
areonce against takenupby tribal community
members.”
Language is thewater to our roots.
TedMoomaw
“
”
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016 |
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