MSD holds Tulalip Day event

Marysville school staff and Tulalip Tribal members held a Tulalip Day drive-through event this year to honor the day.

Tulalip recognizes the day before and after Thanksgiving as ‘Tulalip Day.’

“I work at Quil Ceda [Elementary] and they have a really wonderful gathering that has drumming and singing, and so I just wanted to just have a continuation of that for students that aren’t at Quil Ceda,” said Kateri Loe, a Native liaison with the Marysville School District and one of the organizers of the drive-through event.

“It’s really an awesome celebration so we just wanted to bring that to the rest of the district,” she said.

The drive-through event at Totem Middle School on Nov. 19 allowed students to get craft kits, hot chocolate and other goodies.

Traditional drumming was also held at the drive-through.

“With COVID we’re a little limited,” said Loe. “But I thought it would be cool for the students to just have the culture here and experience it a little bit."

Volunteers said they wanted to support local students.

“I just wanted to support Tulalip Day with my crew. I work with Tulalip Youth Services so I love putting on events like this,” said Shantel Osborn.

“I just wanted to be here to say ‘hi’ to all the kids as they passed through,” said Saundra Yon-Wagner, a Tulalip Tribal member and tribal advocate at Marysville schools.

This is the first time the district has tried to bring a Tulalip Day event to the broader school community.

“We’re really just celebrating our partnership with the Tulalip Tribes. We just did flag raisings at all of the different schools,” said Loe.

The Tulalip Tribes flag was raised at all Marysville schools for the first time this month.

At the drive-through, information sheets about the Tulalip Tribes were also provided.

“A lot of people who grow up here know they’re there, but don’t know a lot about who they are,” said Loe. “I think it’s good for all students to know about this because this is the history of America … and it’s good for our Native students to be seen."

Students coming to the event enjoyed it, said Loe.

“The kids who have come through have been very excited,” she said.

Loe doesn’t know what next year will hold for Tulalip Day and the district, although hopes some form of event continues.

“This is what we’re doing for COVID and it would be cool to see it become something bigger if it can,” she said.