120 canoes and well over 10,000 people came to our territory as we hosted this year’s Paddle to Muckleshoot. Countless stories were shared, hundreds of people were honored, and the beautiful ancient cultures of the Salish Sea and beyond were celebrated by all, from the eldest elders to the tiniest children. It was a week that will remain in the memories of those who witnessed it for the rest of their lives.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so a thousand pictures should be worth a million words, and many, many thousands were taken. These pages will feature both the work of outstanding professional photographers as well as tribal members who captured precious moments on their cellphones. One Muckleshoot mom posted that her little one always wants to stop and go into the Community Center whenever they drive by, thinking the protocols will still be going on. It was indeed a week to remember, a week to be proud. Enjoy the photos.
“We are unbelievably honored you have accepted our invitation and you have traveled such a long distance to deliver your proud people amongst us. We look forward and are eager to share our home and all it has to offer with you; exchanging our cultures… we will share our drums, our songs, our dances.
“We will celebrate together during this joyous time and we will provide the best of our shelter, our food and our drink to you as one of our own… welcome our friends and relations; you have our utmost permission to come ashore!”
– Tribal Council Vice Chairman, Donny Stevenson
The UW participated in its first Tribal Canoe Journey, with students, faculty, staff, and alums working together as a family — the Shell House Canoe Family, č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd — to make it all happen.
The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe’s first Coho fishery on an Elwha River unimpeded by dams in more than 100 years got underway in mid-October. Tribal member Jonathan Arakawa shares his thoughts.
Rachel Heaton shares her experience leading six other native mountaineers up Tahoma, or Mount Rainier, to increase Native visibility and raise awareness of the ancient relationship between Tahoma and the Indigenous peoples who honor her.
Read the transcription of Muckleshoot Vice-Chairman Donny Stevenson’s keynote address to a large, nearly all-Native gathering celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day after marching from Westlake Park to Seattle City Hall.
The Muckleshoot Messenger is a Tribal publication created by the Muckleshoot Office of Media Services. Tribal community members and Tribal employees are welcome to submit items to the newspaper such as news, calendar items, photos, poems, and artwork.
Official Government Website for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
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