Puyallup Tribe

Sisters share what it takes to become powwow royalty

Sisters Tala and Taiah Mitchell, who are members of the Puyallup Tribe, have been attending powwows since they were young. As children, they looked up to older girls who held powwow royalty titles and considered them role models within the community. “Once I came into the powwow circle, I always admired the looks of the crowns and the way they set a good example for everybody,” said Tala. Their cousins also ran for powwow royalty, further inspiring Tala and Taiah. “We were able to watch them and follow the example of what title they held,” said Taiah. Each contestant is…
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SR 99 roundabout and Wapato Way East Bridge in Fife to open as early as June 28

SR 99 roundabout and Wapato Way East Bridge in Fife to open as early as June 28

Weather permitting, the Washington State Department of Transportation plans to open a new roundabout and bridge on the morning of Monday, June 28. Leading up to that, WSDOT will:• Permanently close the existing 70th Avenue East Bridge to vehicular traffic Friday, June 25 at 8 p.m.• Set up a signed detour route that will direct traffic over I-5 via 54th Avenue East to 20th Street East from 8 p.m. Friday, June 25th to 6 a.m. Monday, June 28th.• Provide temporary pedestrian and bicycle access across I-5 on the old 70th Avenue East Bridge starting the night of June 25th (the…
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CFS Director Jody Brooks announces retirement

CFS Director Jody Brooks announces retirement

haʔł sləx̌il To All of My Puyallup Friends and Family, It has been the honor of my lifetime to be able to serve you as the Director of the Community Family Services Program for the past 30 years. Retiring has not been a decision that I have come by lightly. However, due to some health issues, I feel that it is the right time for me to take a step back to focus on getting well and spending more time with my family and extended family. The time I have spent working at the Puyallup Tribe has been the most…
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Canoe Family welcomes House of Tears Carvers

Canoe Family welcomes House of Tears Carvers

Photos and story by Puyallup Tribal News Staff On May 21, the Puyallup Canoe Family welcomed House of Tears Carvers, traveling with their 22-foot totem pole more than 5,000 miles across the United States and Canada. The words shared that day were impactful. Our guests spoke about things that continue to affect our Indigenous communities, such as pipelines and fossils fuels, much like our neighbor Puget Sound Energy’s liquefied natural gas project, which intends to open the facilities on our ancestral lands. The community spoke about boarding schools and the many children that didn’t make it home. The carvers explained…
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Tribal Member captured on ‘wet plate’ by North Dakota artist

Tribal Member captured on ‘wet plate’ by North Dakota artist

By Puyallup Tribal News Staff Chief Leschi High School senior and Puyallup Tribal Member Kenya Scabbyrobe had a unique opportunity to travel to Bismarck, N.D., with her family to take part in a photography session using natural light wet plate photography. This process dates back over 200 years.   Once arriving in Bismarck, the Scabbyrobe family met with ambrotypist Shane Balkowitsch. He is among a small number of individuals who use wet plate collodion, which was the predominant form of creating photography throughout Europe and North America dating back to the 1800s. The process involves exposing an image onto glass…
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Sounders FC reps visit Chief Leschi Schools

Sounders FC reps visit Chief Leschi Schools

By Puyallup Tribal News Staff On Friday, May 21, representatives from Sounders FC joined Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Sylvia Miller and Councilmembers David Z. Bean, Annette Bryan and Monica Miller for a tour of Chief Leschi Schools. They were treated to a breakfast created by the Indigenous Culinary class. The group also participated in Culture Day, and Bean challenged former team captain Brad Evans, who now serves as the club’s brand ambassador, to the squirrel dance with the students. The Puyallup Tribe and Emerald Queen Casino signed a multi-year sponsorship with Sounders FC. The deal includes new collaborations on youth…
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