Beings of the Forest
Mysterious woodland creatures
long part of Suquamish culture
For many Suquamish people, stories about Sasquatch are not modern myths or campfire tales. They are connected to a deeper understanding of the world and the unseen forces within it.
Sasquatch is more than a creature of legend — it holds spiritual significance and ties directly into long-standing traditions about beings that share the land.
Denita and Joey Holmes created these Basket Ogress and Sasquatch costumes for Halloween in 2023.
Kate Ahvakana, the Suquamish Tribe’s Cultural Resources Director, grew up hearing stories about Sasquatch and other culturally connected creatures of the forest.
“Sasquatch is similar to other beings we talk about, like the Stick Indians,” Ahvakana explains. “They aren’t necessarily good or bad — they just are. They live in the woods and have their own way of being. You have to be careful with them because they don’t think like us.”
The Stick Indians are part of Suquamish oral history. These trickster spirits are said to lure people into the woods, leading them astray. Although they are not malicious, their actions can be dangerous. Ahvakana explains that whistling at night can attract their attention — and potentially the attention of other beings, including Sasquatch. “It’s like you’re inviting them into your space, and that’s not something you want to do.”
Another creature of the woods that has long been used to teach lessons to children is the Basket Ogress, a cautionary tale that has been passed down through generations.
“The Basket Ogress is like a boogeyman story,” Ahvakana says.
“She comes after children who are unclean or unkind. The story is meant to teach kids to be mindful of their actions.”
In the tale, the Basket Ogress captures disobedient children, placing them in her basket and carrying them away. While the story has variations across different Coast Salish cultures, it is always used as a way to remind young people to behave properly and respect the world around them.
The Suquamish people have long understood that the forest holds mysteries, and it’s important to respect them. For generations, stories of Sasquatch and other spirits have taught young people to be mindful of their actions, especially when they are in the woods.
Ahvakana explains that these beings are often encountered by those who are particularly sensitive to the spiritual world or spend long periods of time in the woods. “Hunters, fishers, and people who live closely with the land are more likely to experience these things,” she says. “It’s not something everyone sees, but it’s something many of us feel.”
By Jon Anderson
Suquamish News Staff Writer
New Lushootseed Signs Welcome Students at CKA
As students begin classes at Chief Kitsap Academy Sept. 2, they will be welcomed by a new engraved wood sign at the entrance of the campus that reads haʔł sləx̌il, or “Good day” in Lushootseed.
Created by woodworker David Kotz and incorporating the Coast Salish-style black and red CKA Bear, the word huy’ – or “Until we meet again” – is etched on the opposite side, so students will close out their day at school with Lushootseed as well.
The greeting is just one of more than 50 signs big and small installed across the CKA campus just before school kicked off, part of a broader effort to build a Lushootseed “speech community” at the school.
“This is just the beginning,” said Cassy George, the Suquamish Tribe’s Lushootseed Language Program Coordinator as she helped managed installations in late August. “It feels really good to see the signs going up. It’s a good beginning.”
A speech community on campus
The project grew from a Dual Language grant that worked in collaboration with the Language Department, CKA and Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Education. George worked closely with CKA Lushootseed teacher Brandy Boure to decide how to use the funds.
Language Program Coordinator Cassy George, lower right, works with CKA staff, along with design and installation crew, to place new signage at the school..
“We asked, how do we create a speech community at the school? We have to create supports for people to speak when they’re together. Where are they together? The Commons, the cafeteria, the carving shed — those became priorities.”
Together, they envisioned signage as a daily reminder that the language belongs in every corner of school life.
Indeed, classrooms, bathrooms, and other high-traffic areas also got their own Lushootseed placards as well.
Positive affirmations and traditional foods
For cook Skylene George, the cafeteria was the right place to highlight positive affirmations and traditional foods. “She wanted the kids to feel happy here,” George explained. “So there’s signs that says things like ‘Extend good thoughts,’ ‘We care about you,’ ‘You are healthy,’ ‘Be kind to others.’ ”
On another wall in the cafeteria, a new Lushootseed seasonal foods wheel will replace the English-only version that has hung there for years. The wheel names clams, salmon, berries, and other staples of the Suquamish diet across the four seasons. “It connects what we eat to the times of year. It’s part of how we’ve always understood the world,” said George.
Carvings, graphics, and teamwork
Other spaces include the carving shed, where teacher Bearon Old Coyote asked for signs with phrases to encourage safety and good energy in the work. The signs themselves blend artistry and digital design.
Graphic designer Albert Treskin created layouts for each piece, working with Sound Reprographics. “Albert has been there at every step,” George said. “He’s been amazing.”
Installation has been another collaboration. Facilities staff, including Jon Morsette and Junior Santos, provided insight on placement and helped mount the signs. “Their knowledge of the campus made all the difference,” George said. “It really took a whole team to get this done.”
Looking ahead
Initially the state grant was fo
r $39,000 but in the second year was reduced to $22,000 with a tightening of the budget. That means some areas like the basketball court will have to wait. George hopes to apply for more funding to add electronic signage in the future.
For now, she sees the installation as a turning point. “It’s powerful for our kids to see Lushootseed every day,” she said. “These signs remind us the language is alive — in our food, our seasons, our places, and in how we greet one another.”
By Jon Anderson
Suquamish News Staff Writer
Reflections on Election 2024: We will defend our culture and our values
Suquamish Tribal Council, from left to right, is Council Member Luther “Jay” Mills, Jr, Council Member Azure Boure, Vice Chair Josh Bagley, Chairman Leonard Forsman, Secretary Irene Carper, Council Member Lorilee Morsette, and Treasurer Denita Holmes.
By Suquamish Tribal Council
The Suquamish Tribe, like other first peoples of this continent, has experienced disruption since first contact with Europeans. We’ve survived disease, attempts to assimilate us by erasing our culture, and efforts to terminate us and attack our right to exist as a self-governing sovereign nation. But our ancestors were strong, and for generations we adapted and survived by relying on our culture, families, and our unity as a tribe.
Just as our past generations demonstrated, we will endure as a nation regardless of who holds federal office.
We will fiercely defend our access to health care, education, a strong economy, ecosystem health, and our right to self-governance. We will reject discrimination and racism. Our values, along with the enduring guarantees contained in our treaties and in the Constitution of the United States, form a strong foundation for the years and decades to come.
Here in Washington state, we have built strong collaborations with state leaders. The Centennial Accord created a protocol for frank and respectful government-to-government consultations, and we have made significant progress, especially in recent years with the leadership of Gov. Jay Inslee. We look forward to continuing this progress with Governor-elect Bob Ferguson and Attorney General-elect Nick Brown. With the election of the state’s new Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove, we anticipate continuing to cooperate on protecting forests, streams, marine ecosystems, and other treaty-protected resources here in Washington state.
We are delighted that state Senator Emily Randall will represent our district in the U.S. Congress. Her skillful bipartisan leadership at the state Legislature will be much needed in today’s polarized climate.
A bright spot in this election is the defeat of Initiative 2117, which means the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) will remain in force. This Act is strengthening our state’s economy while meeting ambitious climate goals. In Indian country, the CCA is funding restoration of fish and marine habitats, efficient and affordable heating and cooling systems in tribal homes, solar installations, and electrification of transportation.
In the next four years, we expect federal support for climate action to erode in the new administration, but here in Washington state, we can continue moving ahead, demonstrating to the nation that prosperity and responsible climate action go hand in hand.
In other respects, too, Washington state has become a model for positive tribal-state relations, and the outcome of this collaboration has benefited all state residents. Achieving this was not easy. But the enduring relationships we built with state and local officials will serve us all well during the years to come and could serve as a model for other states and for the nation as a whole.
We are grateful to President Biden who remained a true friend to Indian Country through his appointments at the Department of Interior and BIA, his investments in tribal governments and economies, and his protection of sacred sites. And we applaud Vice President Harris’ courageous run for the presidency. Their leadership and vision will not soon be forgotten.
We hope to have a positive relationship with the incoming president, and to continue the progress made under various administrations to fully recognize Indian people as the first Americans. Our differences aren’t as great as some people think. One of the Supreme Court’s most brilliant leaders on Indian law, Justice Neil Gorsuch, for example, was appointed during the first term of President-elect Trump. We have friends and supporters in both political parties, and we will continue building on the positive relationships we have developed over the years.
Regardless of who holds the highest offices in the land, this is clear: We will exercise the legal and cultural and spiritual rights that were passed down by our ancestors, and we will fiercely defend them for future generations.
We’d love to hear about how you use kelp
The Suquamish Tribe’s Language Program is collecting stories and information about how the Suquamish people have used kelp.
Please take this short survey to help us better understand what we know and don’t know. It would be great to reconnect with our kelp practices!
Suquamish seeks rep for new heritage & tourism project
Suquamish seeks rep for new heritage & tourism project
Deadline to apply Nov. 6
The Suquamish Tribe is one of three tribes selected to pilot a new Tribal Maritime Heritage and Cultural Tourism project. The Cultural Resources Dept., in coordination with the Culture Committee, is seeking a Suquamish tribal member to serve as a representative and point of contact for the project.
This person will guide the research, including providing access to records/archives that are appropriate for non-tribal audiences and identify new research to perform. The representative will collaborate on the creation of interpretive products, meet monthly with the full project team, and occasionally review the research plans and drafts of interpretive materials.
A stipend will be issued to the representative at the beginning of the contract and another stipend when the project is finished in August 2026.
Requirements:
– Suquamish tribal member
– 18 or older
– Able to communicate regularly via email and virtual conferencing without support
– Familiar with Suquamish community, culture, and history
– Passion for outreach to the tribal community
– Ability to coordinate meetings, resources, and to meet deadlines
– Work with the Culture Committee for approval of content and all products created
The deadline to apply is Nov. 6, by 4:30pm.
Please send letter of interest to kcarper@suquamish.nsn.us Letters will be reviewed at the next Culture Committee meeting.
