2022
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October 1, 2022
Lopez Historical Society Lummi tribal members and founders of Whiteswan Environmental Suhunep Husmeen Troy Olsen and Kusemaat Shirley Williams, and long-time Lopez reef net fisherman Jack Giard discuss the ancient origins and 20th century history of reef net fishing in the San Juan Islands. |
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August 2, 2022
Northern Arizona University Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals Host Site July 22, 2022
Northern Arizona University Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals Host Site July 15, 2022
Northern Arizona University Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals Host Site |
July 29, 2022
Northern Arizona University Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals Host Site July 20, 2022
The Digital Ecocultural Mapping Project of the Salish Sea WE Intern Sophia Jackson April 29, 2022
Mother Earth Day, WE Intern Sadie Olsen Children of The Setting Sun Productions |
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March 29, 2022
WE Intern Sophia Jackson North Sound Race and Health Equity Conference |
March 29, 2022
WE Intern Sadie Olsen North Sound Race and Health Equity Conference |
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March 29, 2022
WE Intern Joe Hillaire Jr. North Sound Race and Health Equity Conference |
May 18, 2021
WE Intern & AmeriCorps host site for Sadie Olsen The Promise of Full Participation: Resilience and Responsibility for Racial and Environmental Justice |
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2021
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September 20, 2021
WE Intern Sadie Olsen |
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June 29, 2021
Virtual Civic Boot Camp: Native American Youth Advocacy |
June 2, 2021
2 - Minute Video for MIT Solve |
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May 18, 2021
Lummi Indian Business Council honors WE Co-Founder & Intern Sadie Olsen |
May 12, 2021
WE Co-Founder Sadie Olsen |
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April 24, 2021
WE Co-Founder, Shirley Williams, RN North Sound Race and Health Equity Conference |
February 2, 2021
Video: A Beyond Boundaries story: Whiteswan Environmental and US National Parks Service |
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2020
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July 1, 2020
Whatcom County Racial Justice Forum |
August 2, 2020
Ceremony at Xwotqwen (Whatcom Creek) Bellingham Bay Waterfront "The first time fishing here in over 100 Years!" |
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September 23, 2020
Our Orca Friend and Relative From the Deep SK'aliCh'elh-tenaut |
October 17, 2020
Whatcom County Women's March 2020 Honoring Ruth Bader Ginsberg |
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"Northwest Indian College stands in solidarity with
SK'aliCh'elh-tenaut. She was removed from her home in the Salish Sea 50 years ago. She will forever be connected to this territory. We value the richness of placed based knowledge, and have deep cultural values that guide our work." Sadie Olsen Video by Althea Wilson |
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2018
January 16 to April 30, 2018
Living Cultures Exhibit
Living Cultures Exhibit
WE were honored to work with photographer Sharon Eva Grainger in capturing the story line, photos and writing the captions for the Lummi Nation in the Living Cultures Exhibit at Seattle Central Library. "The exhibit combines Native American and First Nations Regalia, historic photographs by Edward S. Curtis and contemporary photographs by Grainger of the Tlingit, Haida, Kwakwaka’wakw and Lummi Nations. This exhibit celebrates the Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast photographed by Edward S. Curtis in the early 1900s. The exhibit goes “beyond the frame” and expresses that today, Indigenous peoples continue to resiliently move forward, carrying cultural traditions passed to them from their elders, delicately combining this important cultural foundation with the ever changing worlds that are a part of their lives."
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Living Cultures Exhibit from Vaun Raymond on Vimeo. |
INSPIRING PARTNERSHIPS THAT TELL OUR STORY OF COMMUNITY HEALING IN THE SALISH SEA
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August 26, 2014
WE began the journey back to the ancestral homelands of San Juan Islands in 2014 at the request of the Lummi Indian Business Council to retrieve a Tribal Fishing Camp Permit from the National Park Service for the reef-net. WE were guided through our ancestral village site at English Camp where our 600-800 foot longhouse once stood. In this area that was described as the Lummi Creation Island, there was nothing to show our existence but the clam middens. Today, the QWENELYAN & SELI7 ETSE SXWO'LE and their salmon children now tell our story. As a respected elder stated, "it is not easy to ask for permission to come back home." He was right. He also stated, "whoever does this work, it will be a sacrifice " and it has been, but through it all WE remember a healthy future for our children and our Salish Sea community. |
August 24, 2015
Through the Coast Salish Mini University, and now the Coast Salish Youth Stewardship Corps, youth and community learn about the reef-net and our holistic connection to all life. This work strengthens cross boundary inherent birth rights and supports 13 Moon restoration work, as our ancestors cultivated the islands in the past. On this day 125 people were present on Henry Island to honor the Spirit of the Sxwo'le through a traditional naming ceremony and the traditional reef-net technology was placed in Open Bay where Suhunep's grandfather once fished. with his family. Through the Spirit of the Sxwo'le, a historical cultural land easements was established on Henry Island so Coast Salish communities can continue to honor their sacred gifts from the Creator. |
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Welcoming words from San Juan Island National Park Service, Lee Taylor
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Sharing our Flood Song to thank National Park Service for the warm welcome.
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WE are honored that we are working with Indigenous conservationist, and traditional knowledge keepers across the transboundary border to work with our youth. The multi-tribal connections are helping our communities remember their stories and connections as families to the land and waters.
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WE are also honored that we continue attract university students, professionals, and experienced conservation leaders to work with our youth, communities and organizations throughout our programming and development.
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LUMMI NATION: The spiritual essence of our work was carried through our beloved Skipper, Squi shea mut, the late Justin Finkbonner. WE express our gratitude to this man for his willingness to work with us when we called on him. Forever, he will be remembered in our hearts.
As WE told his son and father, "WE believe your father stands beside the Creator and he will throw the stones and our people will return to their ancestral homelands." WE also give special thanks to Justin's partner Becky Kinley and the Lummi Systems of Care and Lummi Canoe Family for their support. WE received the 2015 Friends of the Year Award from the Friends of the San Juan Islands and our Spirit of the Sxwo'le - Coast Salish Mini University Ceremony was featured in the Safe Passage in the Salish Sea, WE must work together to find protection for the Salish Sea and our friends and relatives from the deep.
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SAANICH NATION: As inherent birth rights were severed by the 49th parallel and European law, Nick Claxton reached out Suhunep Husmein during his Masters and PhD to to share his knowledge of the reef-net resurgence in Lummi Nation. Suhunep traveled to WSANEC many times, thereby awakening the familial birth rights between the Lummi and WSANEC to this ancient fishing technology. As relationships were strengthened, a group of Lummi men were honored to travel to WSANEC to help them build this reef-net, as history outlawed or forced stagnation for 100 years.
WE Co-Founder, Troy Olsen worked with several Lummi Tribal Members, including Dana Wilson as a first -responder during the Atlantic Salmon Spill. WE continue to present on the transboundary recovery efforts at Whatcom Community College and Northwest Indian College as this issue negatively effects our marine environment and wild salmon.
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Whiteswan Environmental relies on donations from the community to make this vision a reality.
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