The month of June carries so many important messages, causes and important days- Graduation Season, 1st Salmon Ceremony, Juneteenth, Pride- so many important issues and vital moments of recognition! To this end, it is a privilege to take this opportunity to speak to two especially apt June topics that I find directly related- Father’s Day and Men’s Health Month!

June 1 was my 24th wedding anniversary with my unbelievably strong, beautiful, intelligent and fully capable Ojibwe/Lakota wife, Tina Lynn- who is the foundation of our family and household and acts as the matriarch of our household which includes our eldest and only son, 3 daughters, a granddaughter and a grandson, today. This day not only starts Men’s Health Month and holds the celebratory day which recognizes Dads, it also represents to me the importance of living up to my responsibilities to each of these beloved members of my family. To be a husband, father and grandfather who provides for and protects… and- just as importantly-teaches the next generation how to do the same.

As Native people, our women are sacred. They are the life-bringers of our Nations and the foundation on which all of our wisdom is built- as they act as the first teachers of our young ones and children. They have been instrumental in the retained culture and identity we carry as Indian people- as one of my honored Elders always taught, if you want to understand the story, power and influence of a family or Nation- you simply need to “follow the women.” As healthy Native men, we hold a sacred responsibility to honor this role and teaching. In doing so, we model for our children and grandchildren what healthy and effective relationships and love should look like and teach our young women to never accept anything less.

As a chosen representative leader from amongst our Muckleshoot people, a husband of 24 years, a father to 1 young Native man, grandfather to another and of 3 young Native women, and again, grandfather to another, it is with the deepest and most personal connection and belief that I remind all of our young Indigenous brothers- we carry a responsibility to all of our women. The responsibility to honor them as the sacred and to regard them with the respect, honor, and protection they each deserve. As Native men from within our respective Tribal communities, this responsibility is very real- and it fundamentally starts with each of us. Our women cannot be allowed to be subject to disrespect, objectification nor dehumanization- it perpetuates the epidemic of violence against them and normalizes behaviors which justify it and have led (at least in part) to the MMIWP epidemic facing our Nations and people. This rings especially true within our own homes and families, where we have the ability to build foundations of health, confidence, respect, and love.

As healthy Native men, we each carry this sacred responsibility- especially as fathers- and should hold ourselves and one another accountable to this important role for the good of our people and our Tribal Nations.  To this end, we are each needed to stand with and for our most sacred, our women- setting the example for how we expect them to be honored and treated by all others- this is how I see it and stated plainly what is taught in my own household.  I use this teaching now as a call to action for my Native brothers- as good healthy men... as husbands... as fathers... as grandfathers.

Happy Father’s Day to all of our dads out there- as healthy men who lay the foundation of providing and protecting our families and teaching the next generation what healthy love and relationships look like, I raise my hands to all of you who are carrying this work and responsibility in a good way and I thank you for your contributions to building a strong Tribal Nation!

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Donny Stevenson
Chairman, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe