SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE 2019 We Envision A culturally and economically strong community of self-governing, resilient people united by shared values and traditions. Front Cover Art: Pulling Together By Malynn Foster Tribal Chairman Arnold Cooper It has been an honor to serve as your Tribal Chairman, and I have enjoyed seeing our Tribe grow and pave the path for our future leaders. I am proud of the work that's been done to improve the lives of tribal members, help our community and neighbors, and, most importantly, protect our environment and way of life. Last spring Tribal Council and Mason County reached an agreement on water and fish protection. This important agreement is a big step towards achieving sustainable development within Mason County while protecting the tribal right to sufficient stream flows for salmon. Both Mason County and Squaxin Island Tribe worked hard to come up with this agreement that is a significant show of mutual respect between local governments. Another important project, that was a long time in the works, was the completion of the cremation garden, within Squaxin Island Sacred Grounds. This was the result of a lot of planning and collaboration between Cultural Resources, Natural Resources, Executive Services, and Salish Cliffs staff. I really enjoyed seeing our departments and entities work together to create something beautiful for our members. The much-anticipated fitness center opened in April! This was an exciting moment for the community. It was a collaborative project that stemmed from their ideas and wants. The center is 2,800 square-foot addition to the pool and has proven to be a huge asset - it is always busy!! A group of dedicated tribal and community members formed a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This is a team of community volunteers who, with the help of Fire District #4, train for disaster preparedness and hazards that may affect our area. They train in fire safety, light search & rescue, and disaster medical operations. I enjoy seeing our community take initiative to help our own people prepare for and respond to a disaster. This team also learned about our Incident Command System managed by John Taylor. These important skills might save a life some day. These are just a few highlights of the past year, indicating once again how Squaxin Island works together to create a better future for our people. This report shows the hard work that has been done to support your vision for the future. Please take a look, and if you have any questions, my door is always open. Our Mission The people now known as the Squaxin Island Tribe are committed to the honoring of Mother Earth, the resurgence of our traditional ways, and the respect and protection of all people, not only those who are living, but also those who have gone before and who are yet to be born. We are a diverse and proud people. Our unity as a tribe goes beyond geography. Once we were many communities with a similar language. Following our confinement on the island, we once again dispersed. We are a returning people, returning to our land, returning to our culture. Our long memories, our ingenious adaptiveness, and our confidence in knowing who we are have led to our continuing existence. Our tribal family seeks to maintain the pride, honor, and dignity that is our traditional way. Through art, singing, ceremonies, fishing, vocations, and traditional medicine, we celebrate the individual abilities and talents which have made us the people we are today. It is our intent that our lives and our work be meaningful and contribute to the well-being of the entire tribe. We believe this will bring about a resurgence of our culture. Our greatest natural resource is our elders. They are our history. Another valued resource is our children; they are our future. It is the privilege and the responsibility of the young adults to see to it that the Elders and children are honored and nurtured. We believe the Great Spirit is with us in everything we do, and to maintain our relationship to Mother Earth and to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual health, we will always need to remember who we are and why we are here. Tribal Administrator Marvin Campbell For those of you who don’t know me yet, I am Marvin Campbell, Tribal Administrator. I started this position in July 2019. It has been an interesting learning process, and I have enjoyed getting to know the tribal programs and what Squaxin has to offer its members. This year my focus has been learning what each staff member does and how it contributes to the growth of our Tribe. I had the pleasure of hiring a new Director of Operations, Erika Thale, and, together we have worked hard to ensure excellent service that is streamlined for our members. In my short few months being back home, I have witnessed just how great our Tribe has become over the last 20 plus years. I am impressed with the services we offer our people, as well as the cultural events and practices going on throughout the community. Our First Salmon Ceremony is so much bigger and greater than I recall from the past. The teamwork put into that by the Natural Resources Department was wonderful to see. We had a couple major changes take place this year. One of those was the Child Development Center moving under the umbrella of tribal government. It has been great to meet and get to know the hard working professionals we have caring for and teaching our children. The Child Development Center was recognized on a national level for being one of the first outdoor education curriculums in the country! We are blessed to have such a great group bringing up the future of our people! The other change was development of a new Parks and Recreation Department with Janita Raham serving as the Director. She is serving our community very well, and is dedicated to bringing more activities and sports to our youth. I believe this will prove to be a good split, separating Parks and Recreation off from the Tu Ha' Buts Learning Center, because it will allow these two Directors to emphasize the importance of each one. The renewed attention to our youth activities will be of great benefit to our community! Janita’s team has already planned, and is set to execute, the installation of some new parks for our community to enjoy. If these parks are anything like the plans she has worked on, they will be tremendous. I am so grateful to be home and to apply the leadership the military instilled in me in a way that will benefit the people who brought me up. It has been a great honor to show the world, and everyone I served with, how tough and hardworking Squaxins are. I’m glad to be here, to do my part to take care of our Elders, and to bring up the future of our strong people! God’s Glory, Marvin Campbell Cultural Resources Pulling together for our ancestors During the past year the CRD welcomed a new archaeologist and continued to respond to projects on and off reservation with numerous agencies in our traditional area. In addition, we provided the Tribe’s cultural resources protection on tribal lands. The National Park Service THPO grant is reoccurring each year, but funding does not cover the cost for our archaeologist or the deliverables listed below. Surveys Cultural Resource Survey: SQ 19-04-15-MHGWRF Mason County, CRD and Wessen & Associates Archaeological Services. This was a multi-agency project where CRD was able to fund professional services and file an archaeological site with the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Cultural Resources Survey Report: SQ 19-08-15-SDMHRF Tribal Property. Recorded. No cultural resources were found. Cultural Resources Survey Report: SQ 19-09-19-SDRFMH Tribal Property. Cultural resources were recorded within survey area and per- manently filed in CRD. Cultural Resources Survey: SQ 19-09-27-SDRFMH Tribal Property. Cultural resources were recorded within survey area and permanently filed in CRD. Monitoring or Field Review Field review - One CR review in mountains Tribal - Four CR reviews on land development Tribal - One CR review on housing development Interviews Three interviews to gather historical knowledge and information Consultation Legal - Codes, anthropology/historical, or agency projects: 35 DAHP/ Human remains: 4 DNR – TFW: 31 USACE and WDFW for Tumwater Falls Hatchery: 5 Mason County: 2 Photo: Mary Skalapin DIRECTOR: Rhonda Foster Agency Responses Number of responses: 699 approximately MISSION (256 County, 188 Federal, 180 State, and 75 City) To preserve, protect and promote No historic properties affected: 622 tribal culture and heritage which No adverse effect: 4 are invaluable, irreplaceable and Adverse effect: 1 endangered tribal resources; No effect: 0 Other federal consultations: 51 To manage ancient and contemporary Recommended cultural resource investigations: 21 cultural use sites and resources that are fundamental in the recognition Culture of traditional life ways, values and Cultural activities, including ceremonies: 41 histories of the Tribe; Cedar roses: 13 Celebration of life: 8 To protect, preserve and manage these Other: 5 resources through the use of policy, traditional practices, statutory Sacred Ground (Cemetery) Management requirements and prohibitions, Plot request: 5 home visits regulations and training Maintenance: 26 Headstones: 4 Creating cremation garden: 100+ hours Tribal Requests: Four northwest tribes requesting CR consultation and/or training Tumwater Falls - Tribal CR history and training Shaker Church - Power Point presentation NW Anthropology Conference Puyallup - Medicine Creek presentation Federal Lands/Quinault - CR training NRCS - CR training at CRD Tribal Council Oath of Office is administered by Cultural Resources.