Submitted by Leonard Forsman

Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art from the Kaplan & Levi Collection Planning Meeting
The Seattle Art Museum held a meeting to inform tribal representatives of an exhibit of Australian Aboriginal Art that opens in downtown Seattle on May 31st. Aboriginal artists from Australia will be traveling to Seattle to construct part of the exhibit and are seeking collaboration from Suquamish tribal artists. Please contact me at 360-394-8461 if you are a Suquamish Tribal Artist and would like more information.

Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council Meeting
The major issue at the last KRCC meeting was in regard to the future of passenger only ferries. Washington State Ferries are no longer running passenger ferries on Puget Sound and are proposing to remove the passenger dock in downtown Seattle. Bremerton continues to study and test ways to provide passenger service from Seattle to Bremerton. The Kingston-Seattle passenger ferry is currently operational. WSF has directed future passenger ferry operators to seek another terminal in downtown Seattle. Suquamish often comes up in these discussions as a possible site for a future passenger ferry terminal. Tribal Council is presently not supportive of this idea because of the negative impacts increased traffic and parking would bring to downtown Suquamish.

South Shore Middle School History/Culture Presentation
Charles Young, a friend of the Suquamish Tribe and volunteer at several Seattle schools, asked me and Bardow Lewis to make a presentation to a junior high class in central Seattle regarding tribal history. The class has been studying Tribes and Mr. Young believed it would be valuable for them to learn about the Tribes directly from the tribal leaders. The young people enjoyed our presentation and we learned a lot too!

Meeting with Pickrell Family
Janet Smoak, Museum Director, arranged a meeting with members of the Pickrell family at the request of Ted George. The Pickrell’s descend from Cyrus Pickrell, former Indian Agent on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in the early 1900s. They possess some historical documents and artifacts from the family that relate to Suquamish tribal history. We are currently talking about a possible donation of items to the Suquamish Museum.

Meeting with Senator Patty Murray’s new Regional Representative
Ms. Alex Fastle met with legal and fisheries representatives in an introductory meeting. Alex is taking over responsibility the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsula region of Washington State for Christine Reeves who has been assigned other duties within Sen. Murray’s state office.

Suquamish Cultural Cooperative Meeting
The monthly cultural cooperative meeting focused on reports on coming events and upcoming plant gathering opportunities. Tina Jackson announced that we would be hosting the tribal canoes in Suquamish for two days on July 21 and 22 this summer. It was also announced that we would have a two day powwow this year at Chief Seattle Days. Washington Tourism Association Summit The annual WTA summit was held at the Seatac Hilton. Since Washington State eliminated funding for the State Tourism Office and Commission, industry leaders have formed a new association to try to promote tourism in the state regionally, nationally and internationally. Tribes have stepped up financially to support the effort, including the Suquamish Tribe, and more help will be needed in the future to support this important industry.

KCTS 9/University of Washington Meeting
Representatives of KCTS 9 public television and the University of Washington School of Nursing met to discuss a film project that centers of the American Indian cultural resurgence that has occurred over the last two decades. The film will feature examples from the across the nation. The filmmaker wants to include Tribal Canoe Journeys as one of the featured examples of cultural rebirth. A formal proposal is forthcoming for review by the Cultural Cooperative and Tribal Council.

Tribal Leaders Meeting with the Washington State Liquor Control Board
Tribal leaders and staff met with Liquor Board members and their staff to discuss the transition taking place as a result of the passage of an initiative to privatize liquor sales. More meetings are scheduled to answer questions raised by the Tribes regarding our current tribal operations and how we can best adjust to the new marketplace and how the state and tribes will work out issues around revenue collection.

Washington Indian Gaming Association Meeting – Tulalip
The monthly WIGA meeting was held at the Tulalip Resort. The special session of the legislature had just ended and we received reports on the new state budget. Bills to expand gaming statewide received little support and none passed.

Suquamish Foundation Board Meeting
The Suquamish Foundation Board meeting consisted of updates on fundraising for the Suquamish Museum. The paver project is in full swing. We hope that you will consider buying a paver and support our new museum.

Suquamish 40 and over Basketball Tournament
The second annual Suquamish 40 plus Basketball Tourney was held on August 14 and 15. Supported by a grant from the Suquamish Charitable Fund, the tournament attracted six teams; Suquamish 1, Suquamish 2, Elwha Wolfpack, Muckleshoot Diehards, Muckleshoot All Tribes, and Makah. Suquamish 1, led by George Hill and Carey Webster, won the tournament over the Elwha Wolfpack 42-41. We had a good time and thanks to the cooks for working so hard on the salmon/clam bake held for the players and their families. Also thanks to the officials and to the young men who played so hard in the two exhibition games. See you all next year!

Museum Exhibit Text Subcommittee Meeting
Marilyn Wandrey and I joined Janet Smoak to work on the sub themes for text writing for our new Museum exhibit. We will be working intensely over the next few weeks to finalize this work.

Math Teacher Interviews
A panel was assembled to interview two candidates for the new math teacher position at the new Chief Kitsap High School Program operated by the Suquamish Education Department. This was a very interesting process and we look forward to welcoming a new teacher soon.

North Kitsap Forest and Bay Initiative
A meeting was held at the Port Gamble S’Klallam House of Knowledge to update the governments, landowners, agencies and non-profit groups on the progress of the acquisition for the timberlands surroundingPort Gamble Bay.

Ernest Bertelson Biography
Local historian Gerry Elfendahl has been researching the life of Ernest Bertelson, a resident of Suquamish in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Mr. Bertelson was a freelance journalist and wrote many articles on the Suquamish Tribe and its people. He befriended many of our ancestors, including Sam Snyder, Sam Wilson and Virgil Temple. He is buried in our tribal cemetery next to his friend, Sam Snyder. Gerry is nearing completion of his first draft and met to discuss publication of the book in the near future. The Tribe has supported this effort with a small grant in the past. More support will be necessary, which we will consider after a proposal is submitted.

High Country News Interview
The High Country News, a publication in Colorado, is doing a story on the Port Gamble Bay land acquisition effort. A freelance reporter interviewed me on the Suquamish Tribe’s role in this effort.

Tribal Leaders Congress on Education Meeting
The TLC meeting was held at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s House of Knowledge. Leaders from Lummi, Colville, Makah, Port Gamble, Suquamish, and Tulalip attended the meeting. Early Learning, especially in regards to Head Start, was the primary discussion topic. Denny Hurtado announced that a celebration of Indian Education will be held in Suquamish on May 19 at the House of Awakened Culture