Tony Adams’ New Life on the Water
For nearly a decade, Suquamish tribal member Tony Adams made his living as a geoduck diver, working long hours in cold waters to bring up one of the most valuable shellfish in the world. It was a job that combined skill, endurance, and a deep connection to the sea — a natural fit for a Suquamish tribal member whose life had always revolved around the water.
Then, at 35, everything changed. Adams developed sudden-onset allergies that made it impossible to equalize under pressure. He could no longer dive. “It was tough,” Adams said. “That was my life, and I had to hang it all up.”
But after a period of struggle, with his career adrift, he found a way to chart a new course in 2016.
A new course
That’s when Adams applied to Washington State Ferries. Competition was fierce — that year, there were 837 applicants, and only about 80 were selected. Adams was number 52 on the list. “Getting selected was huge,” Adams said. “And I’ve loved it ever since.”
What began as entry-level work cleaning cabins and assisting passengers has grown into a career that has taken Adams into increasingly advanced roles. He has worked as a deckhand, car deck supervisor, boatswain’s mate in charge of all the cabin crew, and helmsman with more than 3,000 hours at the wheel.
“All day long, I’m literally driving the ship,” Adams said. “The captain brings it into the dock, but I’m his right hand — answering the radio, keeping time logs, making sure he has all the information to handle whatever comes up.”
Always something new
Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry operator in the United States, and functions as a “marine highway” for commuters, tourists, and freight across Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. The system operates 21 vessels, serving 10 routes and 20 terminals carrying some 20 million passengers and 9 million vehicles every year.
To make all that happen, WSF employs 2,000 staff, who work not only aboard vessels but also in career tracks at the various terminals and the Bainbridge Island maintenance facility.
Working aboard ship requires extensive training and certifications. New hires must secure a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card from Homeland Security, undergo five background checks, pass a Coast Guard physical and drug test, and earn a Merchant Mariner Credential.
“That’s just to get in the door,” Adams said. “Then you’re off to firefighting school at the ‘Fire Dragon’ in Ballard, medical training, life boat training — there’s always something new to learn.”
All that training and experience was put to the test on recent evening in October during the Seattle-Bainbridge Island run aboard the M/V Tacoma.
Rescue at Sea
As the sun slipped behind the Olympic Mountains, the lookout spotted something strange from his perch next the big ship’s wheelhouse in the fading twilight in Elliott Bay. An odd, erratic flash was piercing out from the waterline not far from the Seattle Great Wheel. The ship altered course to investigate.
It didn’t take long for the crew to see that a tandem kayak had been swamped by high waves, leaving two people clinging to the overturned hull.
As part of the designated rescue crew, Adams and his team were already getting the ferry’s starboard side rescue boat into the water.
“We launched the rescue boat and got to them within minutes,” Adams said. “They were in shock, but we got them safely aboard and then handed them off to the Seattle Fire Department ship.”
Passengers applauded as the Tacoma’s rescue crew returned to the ferry. “It went the way training says it should,” he said. “Nobody lost their cool. We did it by the book and got the job done.”
In a letter of commendation to Adams, WSF’s Director of Marine Operations Dirk van der Raadt wrote “It is easy to talk about service and safety as ideals. It is much harder to live in a moment of urgency, with lives depending on your choices. You and your shipmates did exactly that.”
Pride in the Suquamish
Adams has served on nearly all the ships in the WSF fleet, but none carries more meaning than when he’s aboard the M/V Suquamish. “It’s a Rolls-Royce — literally. It has Rolls-Royce controls,” Adams said with a grin.
From the beginning, he played a role in shaping the Olympic-class ferry’s cultural presence. When the vessel was being designed, Adams connected state officials with tribal artists, Elders, and historical experts in tribal government and the Suquamish Museum.
“It became one of the most tribally involved vessels in the whole fleet,” Adams said.
Working on board the Suquamish when the ship was first commissioned in 2018 also gave him a chance to share his culture with passengers. “I was in the cabin in an entry-level job, but I got to give people tours and explain the artwork,” he said. “It even gave me the chance to wear my proper tribal name Hab-see-wis on my nameplate. Nobody else gets to do that.”
When the Suquamish launched, Adams secured the ferry’s first flag from the staff captain and donated it to the Tribal Elders for display in the Elders Lodge.
Paying it forward
Adams isn’t just building his own career. He is helping other tribal members follow his path.
For the past three years, he has increasingly lent a hand with recruiting, attending tribal jobs fairs, speaking with students at Chief Kitsap Academy, and guiding candidates through the maze of Coast Guard paperwork, TSA checks, and medical requirements.
“The first tribal member I helped get hired was Connor Maloney,” Adams said. “Now, I’ve got another just starting and two more in the pipeline. My goal is to have a wall of photos of everyone I’ve helped get jobs.”
He credits the Tribe’s 477 Workforce Program for covering fees and helping applicants with appointments for fingerprints, physicals, and other requirements. “They make sure cost isn’t a barrier,” Adams said.
For Adams, it’s about showing that a future on the ferries is within reach. “If people see my success and know where I’ve come from, I hope it gives them some hope that they can do it too,” he said. “We spend our lives on the water — if I didn’t fish or dive, I might not have ended up on the ferries. But it’s a natural fit, and it’s a great career.”
This kind of enthusiasm has made him a natural fit to speak at events such as the Seattle Boat Show to help share the WSF story. Adams gives back in other ways as well. He serves on the Suquamish Foundation’s board of directors as well as the tribe’s Higher Education Board. In March, he testified before the Washington State Senate and met with Gov. Bob Ferguson to help pass a legislation expanding Maritime training and education opportunities for high school students.
Looking ahead
As Adams continues to advance, he’s setting his sights on higher maritime certifications with hopes of one day of becoming a captain. Along the way, he is also sharing the journey at home — raising two sons as a single dad.
Meanwhile, Adams has also rejoined the Suquamish Canoe Family in recent years as co-skipper of the tribe’s support vessel, the M/V Challacum. The barge travels alongside the canoes, carrying gear, supplies, and safety equipment every summer for the annual Tribal Canoe Journey, among other events.
“For me, it’s come full circle,” Adams said. “I grew up around the Canoe Journey. Now I’m helping guide it — literally — and making sure everyone stays safe on the water.”
His youngest son Donavan has been training aboard the Challacum as well, learning deckhand duties from his dad and the rest of the support crew. The experience blends family, culture, and seamanship — the same values that drive Adams in his work with the ferries.
“It’s powerful to be out there with your community, to feel that connection to the water,” he said. “Everything I’ve learned on the ferries comes into play — navigation, communication, safety. It’s all part of the same path.
(This story appeared in the January 2026 issue of the Suquamish News. Click here to read more of the latest stories about Suquamish people and culture.)
New Explorer Cadet Program invites Suquamish youth to see policing up close
New Explorer Cadet Program invites Suquamish youth to see policing up close
For Officer Alicia Barker, the spark started at 16. Growing up in Spokane, Barker didn’t know anyone in law enforcement and assumed a career as a cop was out of reach. That changed when she joined a police Explorer Cadet program as a teenager.
“I realized it was totally different than what I saw on TV,” Barker said. “It was something I truly was passionate about.”
Barker credits that opportunity directly with her now serving as a Suquamish police officer. That’s why she’s helping launch the department’s new Explorer Cadet Program, designed to give youth ages 16 to 21 an inside look at policing while building skills that extend far beyond the badge.
Chairman Leonard Forsman encouraged families to help spread the word. “This is a great opportunity to learn more about policing and a potential career,” said Forsman during a recent presentation on the cadet program.
“I would really like to attract tribal youth to this program because some of the people that we’ll have in this program now are going to be your police officers five ten years from now,” Suquamish Police Chief Mark Williams told Tribal Council.
Council Member Lorilee Morsette encouraged Williams to work with Chief Kitsap Academy, the Family & Friends Center, and other youth-focused programs across tribal government to help spread the word.
“We need more tribal member youth to get in this program,” said Vice Chairman Josh Bagley. “This is a great opportunity.”
Those words of encouragement matter, Barker said, especially in a small community where youth may feel unsure about whether law enforcement is a path for them.
“That’s exactly why this program exists,” she said. “It’s about showing what’s possible.”
Hands-on volunteer work
The Explorer Cadet Program is a volunteer commitment, with meetings held every other Friday for about two hours, plus optional events and ride-alongs. Cadets receive training that includes interview skills, public speaking, and leadership opportunities — skills Barker said she still relies on today.
But the draw for many teens is the hands-on experience.
Cadets can participate in ride-alongs, observe real police work, and train alongside officers in controlled environments. That can include defensive driving exercises, building-search scenarios, and firearms safety and handling. Suquamish Police Cadets will be issued their own unique cadet uniforms and badges.
“What’s fun is getting to see how things really work,” Barker said. “You’re in uniform, you’re training with officers, and you’re learning skills you won’t get anywhere else.”
Cadets also have the option to attend regional Explorer academies that feel more like law-enforcement boot camp than summer camp. Held at the Yakima Training Center, the week-long sessions include early mornings, barracks living, hands-on tactical training, and realistic mock hiring scenarios. “Each time you go, it progresses,” Barker said, from basic training through advanced leadership levels that challenge cadets physically and mentally while building confidence.
Transformative experience
Suquamish Deputy Police Chief Tommy Nance can vouch for that. He started his own law enforcement career as a cadet in Kitsap County that put him on a path toward working for the Suquamish Police Department 25 years ago.
The experience can be transformative, he said, even for youth who never plan to become officers.
“Before I became a cadet, I had zero interest in law enforcement,” Nance said. “That changed once I got involved.”
Barker said many former cadets go on to careers outside policing, carrying with them confidence, discipline, and a deeper connection to their community.
“We’re not here to force anyone into a career,” she said. “We’re here to open doors.”
The Tribal Council’s resolution supporting the program formalizes that commitment.
“We stand united in our commitment to the Suquamish Police Department Police Explorer Cadet program and the goal of cooperative and constructive interactions between Police Officers and our community while building tomorrow’s leaders,” reads Tribal Council’s proclamation. “We call upon all tribal citizens, law enforcement, tribal organizations, health officials and all Tribal programs to speak up in support of and provide encouragement, assistance and guidance to our Suquamish Police.”
Applications are open now, and the department plans additional outreach — including school visits and community events — to help tribal youth learn more. A special Open House will be held at the end of January at the Police Department for youth and parents to learn more.
“This is about investing in our kids,” Williams said. “And investing in the future of this community.”
A Message from the Nutiriton Bar Manager
The Suquamish Fitness Center has some exciting news for 2026! We will be opening a Nutrition Bar! What are we going to serve in the Nutrition Bar you ask? Healthy recipes that include regional traditional foods, plants, and herbs along with healthy options that will fuel athletes and their families who support them daily. We are developing a menu focusing on recipes that are made with whole ingredients, less processed chemicals, less sugar content, and non-inflammatory oils, so that our community is nourished with gifts Creator gave us.
A “soft” opening date will be set for some time in January, as we are trying to be prepared for all of you setting those New Year’s resolutions. We hope to offer convenient post-work out protein smoothies, overnight oats, egg cups. And for those who go to the gym after work we’ll have rice bowls loaded with protein and veggies or hearty salads, and lettuce wraps for those cutting down on bread.
One of the biggest questions asked is, “Will there be espresso?” Yes, we will be serving espresso! We may not offer loads of flavor options or have the gigantic 32oz size cups like they do at typical espresso stands, but we do plan to have hot sizes 12oz-20oz and cold drinks 16oz-24oz. We plan to have weekly coffee specials, and will carry Lotus, a plant-based energy drink. We will also have a weekly flavored electrolyte water made with traditional herbs and plants that will hydrate you better than any flavored Gatorade because it’s made with natural ingredients and not chemicals and dyes.
We hope to see you in 2026 to help you smash all your health goals!
Calling Youth & Adult Tribal Artists!
Special Callout for Youth Artists
The Climate Resiliency Team encourages tribal youth to create art for their upcoming Color Our Future campaign.
Submit black-and-white line art (8.5×11) that shows themes of climate resilience, the environment, or community.
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Every submission that meets the requirements earns $25 and will be displayed at an Art Walk on Jan. 14, 2026.
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Top 3 winners get featured + Visa gift cards:
$100 / $75 / $60 -
Deadline: Jan. 5, 2026
TO SUBMIT: Email a digital copy to Climate_Team@suquamish.nsn.us or drop off at the Fisheries Department front desk, upstairs from Human Services at the Tribal Admin Center.
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TANF Logo needed
Human Services invites tribal artists to submit logo design proposals for the Suquamish Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Show us your vision of community, culture, and growth, and help visually tell the story of the program’s commitment to families and self-reliance. We value the talent that goes into creating a logo, and the selected artist will be compensated for the work.
Deadline to apply: Jan. 15, 2026
Questions? Call (360) 394-8646, visit the TANF office located in Human Services, or email Faith Reese at FReese@suquamish.nsn.us.
Becoming Well: Suquamish Tribe moves forward with plans for new healing and wellness center in Poulsbo
The Suquamish Tribe is laying the groundwork to open a new addiction healing and wellness center in Poulsbo — part of a strategy to expand access to holistic, culturally grounded care for those in recovery.
The center will be located in a former bank building, an acquisition made possible through $18.48 million in funding secured from the Washington State Legislature. The funds, from the state’s capital budget, will fully cover the cost of purchasing and remodeling the facility.
All that work will take time. Redesign and renovations to transform the two-story, 30,000-square-foot bank into a health center are expected to take at least a year. And then will come equipping and staffing, with plans to open the facility in 2027.
The yearlong remodel is only one part of the effort. Behind it is a broader push to strengthen the tribe’s response to the opioid crisis — a case tribal health leaders recently laid out in Olympia.
A win for tribal partnerships
“We built a case to the state legislature, with data showing that Indigenous-led opioid treatment programs have been the most effective in Washington, said Suquamish Community Health Manager Jeff Riggins, who also chairs the Suquamish Tribe’s opioid emergency steering committee, “We showed that we wouldn’t reinvent the wheel—we’d model our clinic after what’s already working.”
That approach received strong backing in Olympia. Sen. Drew Hansen, Rep. Tarra Simmons, and Rep. Greg Nance worked closely with Suquamish Tribe leaders to move the funding request through the legislature.
It’s a win Nance credited to strong advocacy from Chairman Leonard Forsman and the rest of Council, Riggins — who helped draft the legislative package — as well as other tribal government experts who helped lobby in Olympia in recent months.
“We have a lot of neighbors dealing with mental health challenges, dealing with addiction challenges. Day in and day out, these folks can slip through the cracks, but not on Suquamish’s watch,” said Nance in a briefing earlier this year with Tribal Council. “Budget leaders kept saying there’s no money for this, there’s no money for this. But Chairman Forsman is a persuasive leader. And by the end of it we have an $18 million investment that will save people’s lives right in our community.”
Modeled on centers of excellence
The treatment facility will serve both Suquamish tribal members and the broader Kitsap community and will be modeled on successful tribal centers of excellence such as those at Swinomish and Jamestown S’Klallam.
Planning focuses on offering wraparound services aimed at treating the whole person in a single, welcoming setting. The exact mix of services continues to be refined, but will include opioid treatment, primary medical care, and behavioral health and recovery support.
“Best practices in opioid treatment show that comprehensive care under one roof works best,” said Clinic Director Deborah McRae. “This facility will reduce barriers to care and support long-term wellness.”
McRae, who retired from the Navy after 20 years of service and has worked with major healthcare providers throughout Kitsap, was recently hired to help stand up the new center.
Reducing barriers to care
The Poulsbo location was chosen for its accessibility and potential. “This building is right on major bus lines and highways,” Riggins said. “We want to reduce as many barriers as possible for people seeking care.”
He added that placing the center off the reservation also helps protect privacy. “A lot of folks don’t feel comfortable walking into a wellness facility that’s right in the center of their community, especially when there’s stigma attached,” he said. “This is close to home, but with more discretion.”
There were no suitable buildings in Suquamish that could accommodate the facility’s needs, and new construction would have added significant cost and delay. Reusing an existing structure with features like secure vault spaces also opens the door to innovations such as on-site pharmacy services.
Next steps
Bremerton-based architecture firm Rice Fergus Miller was selected to design the building’s remodel, and Tacoma-based Korsmo Construction will turn the designs into reality. Both companies have experience creating aesthetically pleasing and patient-focused medical facilities. Early designs are in the works, and the permitting process will soon begin with the City of Poulsbo.
“We’re excited for the next steps of working with the city,” Riggins said. “They’re a key part of making this a reality.”
The facility will reflect the tribe’s commitment to culture-centered care — a model shown to improve outcomes for Native and non-Native patients alike.
In the coming months, tribal government staff hope to host community visioning sessions and listening circles about the new center.
“This will be a Suquamish place,” Riggins said. “And what we’ve seen is that when tribal communities lead this work, the whole community benefits.”
For more information and a list of FAQs, visit: https://suquamish.nsn.us/health-division/behavior-health-center/
Ocean to Table brings ancestral teachings to life for CKA students
A misty November chill hovered over Miller Bay as students split into two crews — one aboard the Suquamish Tribe’s support vessel Challacum, the other riding in a smaller aluminum skiff where Suquamish fisherwoman Shellene George mentored 11th-graders Luther Mills and Billy Jones on how to set and retrieve the long salmon net. From the deck of the Challacum, bundled students leaned over the railing, watching the sweep of the gear, listening for instructions carried over the water and then moving to the muddy shore to haul in the net.
After a few pulls, excitement rose when salmon finally appeared in the net — not many, but enough to learn from and celebrate. The small catch wasn’t enough to carry the class through every stage of processing and smoking, but rather than view it as a setback, it became a teaching moment: salmon work is governed by tides, seasons, luck, and patience, not controlled conditions or schedules.
That’s when tribal fishermen stepped in, supplementing the student catch with additional salmon — not simply to fill the freezers, but to reinforce a message that harvesting, sharing, and preparing food is a communal responsibility, one carried together so knowledge can continue.
“There’s no shame in a light catch,” George said. “That’s fishing. Some days you fill the net, some days you don’t. What mattered was that the kids were out there learning, trying, and working together — and then our community did what it always does and supported them.”
A multi-week cultural learning experience
A multi-week cultural learning experience Ocean to Table is not a field trip or a cooking demonstration — it is a multi-week fall learning experience at Chief Kitsap Academy designed to pass on intergenerational Coast Salish teachings about harvesting, honoring, and preserving salmon. Now in its ninth year, the program is guided by Suquamish culture bearers, fishermen, and food knowledge holders, alongside teachers who connect lessons to science, health, and land-based learning.
Students learn every step of traditional salmon preservation, from harvesting to canning. These are not demonstrations for students to watch — they are responsibilities for students to perform, with mentorship and guidance throughout.
This year, eighth-grade life science students and 10th-grade biology students participated. The project is intentionally tied to curriculum so that academic learning connects to real-world meaning. While most biology students learn about anatomy from a printed diagram, these students discuss how form and function relate while holding a salmon gill in their hand. “My biology students were already in a three-week salmon unit,” said CKA science teacher Scottie Von Rees. “So we talked about surface area and how gills bring in oxygen, then we were able to see it in real life. It’s so cool to make those connections.”
From bay to processing table
After returning from Miller Bay, students moved to the Suquamish Seafoods processing facility, where George works as acquisition manager, buying clams, crabs, salmon, and other seafood directly from Suquamish fishers before distributing it to markets and buyers.
She taught students how to bleed, chill, and fillet salmon safely and respectfully, focusing on steady hands, sharp tools, clean cuts, and minimizing waste.
“They cut it, stripped it, handled icy fish, made mistakes, fixed them, and learned,” George said. “Those aren’t just skills — that’s character. That’s confidence.”
George, who fished commercially from Alaska to California before returning home to raise her family and exercise treaty-protected fishing rights locally, said the program passes down something much deeper than technique.
“What we’re teaching is survival knowledge,” she said. “If something catastrophic happened, these kids would know how to get food, prepare it, and preserve it. That’s real education.”
Teaching inside the smokehouse
Students then moved to the new CKA smokehouse, where they rinsed brine from fillets, sorted cuts by thickness, and learned how to pierce each piece with precise “eye holes” so cedar sticks could be threaded through without tearing the meat. Timing and technique were essential — and different cuts required different smoke durations.
“You can’t mix the backs and the bellies,” said Jay Mills, Tribal Elder, Tribal Council member, and one of the community’s most trusted experts on salmon smoking and preservation. “Bellies can stay in for five to six days, the backs maybe only two or three. Once they’re hung, you don’t take them down and rearrange them.”
Mills said the entire program echoes teachings passed down directly through his family line.
“I learned these teachings from my great-greatgrandmother and my great uncle,” he said. “She lived to be 103, and she passed it down in our family. That’s what we’re doing here — making sure our young people get the same teachings our grandparents gave us.”
Growing student leaders
Both George and Mills emphasized that the most important product is not smoked salmon, but future leadership. Older students serve as crew leads on the water and in the smokehouse, arriving early, staying late, and modeling the work ethic required to complete the project from beginning to end.
“I could have taken over and done it myself,” George said. “But that’s not the point. You give them responsibility so they can rise. And they did.”
George believes the experience opened a door that cannot be closed.
“I guarantee some of them are going to go try clam digging now,” she said. “Some will join fishing crews. Some will teach their own kids one day.”
Mills agreed. “We talk about seven generations,” he said. “We’re almost there. These teachings don’t live if we don’t use them. The kids showed they’re ready.”
Soon, the smoked salmon will be canned and shared, just as families have done for generations Because at Ocean to Table, the goal isn’t just to make food — it’s to make knowledge live.
New CKA smokehouse designed for teaching and tradition
A new smokehouse now stands near the herb and vegetable garden at Chief Kitsap Academy, built to support hands-on learning for Ocean to Table students, among other traditional culinary classwork.
The design was developed by Suquamish Tribal Elder Jay Mills, who has spent decades building and tending smokehouses for his family, using earth-floor structures where the fire burns directly inside. His experience with traditional methods guided the layout and size, but this version includes new features adapted for school use.
The biggest innovation is the external wood-burning stove, which pushes smoke into the chamber rather than generating heat and smoke directly on the floor. Mills researched a variety of designs and cold-smoke systems, combining multiple ideas to find a model that was safer, cleaner, and easier for students to work around.
A second cold-smoke line, with a fire placed farther away to maintain lower temperatures, will also be connected to the smokehouse, giving students the option to explore different preservation methods.
After sketching his concept in a notebook, Mills worked with a friend who turned the drawings into buildable plans. The smokehouse was then constructed with a concrete foundation, cedar siding, and a vented roof system intended to draw smoke evenly. Mills expects adjustments as students learn how it behaves across seasons, weather, airflow, and fish loads.
“Our teachings are alive,” he said. “You build it, you learn from it, then you make it better.”
‘Crafternoon’ with Bonnie and Kylee
By Heather Purser
Special Contributor
“You’ve got to whip while you stir,” Suquamish Tribal Member Brenda Anderson says, leaning over a bowl of berry paste. It’s the playful tone in her voice that makes the people gathered around her chuckle as they learn how to make jam. Outside, it’s cold and wet, but inside the Elders Kitchen, the room is warm, bright, and full of life for the weekly crafting group held every Thursday at 1 pm.
Hosted by Suquamish Tribal Member Bonnie Brown and Kylee Butler of the Makah Nation, a peer support specialist at Suquamish Wellness, the crafting group brings community members together to create, visit, and unwind. Today, the aroma of simmering jam blends with Bonnie’s freshly made fry-bread. Fall decorations give the room a soft glow, and on any given Thursday you can expect the tables to be covered in supplies that fi t the theme of the day: beads, jars, fabric, paint, ribbon, or whatever the project calls for.
People drift in and out, settling at the tables, telling stories, teasing one another, and laughing easily. One man isn’t making jam at all, he’s happily sketching at the corner table, fully part of the circle in his own way. “Don’t be shy, get in here,” Bonnie grins, encouraging anyone interested to come take part in the gathering. The crafting group restarted about two months ago after people said they missed having a space like this to connect. In the past, the group has made gifts for the community—graduation necklaces, ribbon skirts, Canoe Journey items, and more. Today, like every Thursday, the focus is simple: gather, create, and bring a little warmth to each other’s day.
Updates from Suquamish Fitness Center
It’s been a season of big fun and action-packed exercise. The Suquamish Fitness Center is hopping with energy, laughter, and plenty of good old-fashioned competition. Here’s a recap of what’s been happening in recent weeks!
Elders Exercise
Every Tuesday and Thursday, Elders participate in Elders Exercise. It’s a fun way to keep active both physically and socially!
Tuesday sessions begin with warm-up laps around the gym, followed by stretching. Fitness Center staff set up different stations, which provide the Elders with a variety of workouts during the hour-long session.
But by far, the favorite day of the week is Thursday when Elders hit the nets for Chair Volleyball! Before getting into the thick of the competition, there’s a warmup with laps around the gym, followed by stretching. Then it’s time to let the games begin! In the course of an hour, they play three to four games, which consist of many laughs and many memories being made. The Elders team has also traveled to play against the Elders of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. The competition gets intense at times, but at the end, everyone has a good time playing together. If you have time on Thursday mornings, come join in on the fun at 10:30am! Also, the Elders want to challenge all Tribal Government departments. So far, only the Suquamish Police Department and the Cultural Resources Department have been brave enough to face them.
Adult Coed Softball
The Suquamish adult softball team participated in the Bremerton City Fall Ball City League and not only took first in the league but also won the end-of-season tournament. The games were played Sunday evenings at Pendergast Park in Bremerton.
Youth Basketball
The Fitness Center wrapped up their fall basketball league with several teams competing in the Poulsbo Parks and Rec League. Five teams represented youth in grades 3rd through 8th. The teams played in gyms across Kitsap County. It was a pleasure to coach the youth and each team showed up to practice eager to learn and work. As the weeks went by, individual skills and teamwork grew and improved. We are proud of all the kids who participated this fall and look forward to a great winter season. The Fitness Center hosted a youth basketball tournament in October, with five divisions and 24 teams, six of which were from Suquamish. Forty-three games were played over the course of the weekend. The games were exciting, competitive, and filled with talented players! It was a joy watching our kids shining on the court, playing the game they love.
The weekend tournament is much more than just basketball — it’s a weekend of teams from all over the region coming together, where friendships are developed, and memories made. We loved hosting the tournament and look forward to the next one.
Adult Basketball
In October the fitness center hosted their annual adult basketball tournament with divisions for Men, Women and Men’s Legends (50 & over). Like the youth tournament, teams came from all over to compete. The talent is a sight to see, and this year had many close games that ended in overtime. It is especially fun to watch the players in the Men’s Legends Division. They keep it competitive and showcase moves that you don’t get to see very often in the new era of basketball.
In the near future, we hope to get our adult basketball league going again soon. And as a reminder, we do hold adult open gyms every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30pm.
Traveling on the Water: Suquamish canoe installation now hangs at Colman Dock
By Jon Anderson
Suquamish News Staff Writer
Three hand-built and hand-painted Suquamish race canoes now hang high above the passenger hall of Seattle’s newly renovated Colman Dock ferry terminal, greeting travelers with imagery that honors ancestral water travel and the living canoe traditions of the Salish Sea. The installation, titled Traveling on the Water, was created by a team led by Suquamish tribal member and artist Kate kyʔk ̓ ablu ̓ Ahvakana.
Construction of the canoes was completed collaboratively by Suquamish tribal members Tyleander Purser, Ryan Boure, Vincent Chargualaf, as well as tribal artists Toma Villa (Yakama) and Joey Holmes (Grand Ronde). Once built, the final painting, design work, and finishing coats were completed by Ahvakana and Villa.
“These canoes represent how we traveled in the past and how we still travel today,” Ahvakana said, who also serves as the Suquamish Tribe’s Cultural Resources Director. “Canoe culture here in the Salish Sea is still alive and thriving.”
Colman Dock sits within the ancestral territory of Chief Seattle’s people where Suquamish villages and canoe travel routes existed long before the city was established. “It feels great to have Suquamish artistic representation here in our own ancestral homeland in Seattle,” Purser said. “To have our work represented right here means a lot.”
Traditional forms, modern adaptation
Though the painted designs reflect ancient and contemporary Coast Salish styles, the vessels themselves are strip-built canoes — a modern method used when old-growth cedar suitable for dugouts is no longer accessible.
“Strip canoes are our modern solution,” Purser said. “Logs that could become dugouts are harder and harder to come by because of how few remain.” The team built the canoes inside Ahvakana’s family longhouse workshop, where cold temperatures and humidity complicated the fiberglass curing process.
“There were times we had three heaters going just to get the resin to set,” Chargualaf said. “We even built a smaller room inside the longhouse just to hold enough heat.”
Setbacks required persistence. “Some fiberglass went hazy and we had to scrape it off and start again,” Villa said. “It wasn’t easy, but everyone stayed committed.”
Three canoes, three realms
The installation includes two single canoes and one double — modeled after Coast Salish race and war canoes still used throughout the region. Each canoe honors a different sphere of life:
- Water – The first single canoe featuressalmonthat curve along the bottom of the canoe in a subtle shape of an S, for Suquamish.
- Air – The second single canoe features a thunderbird and osprey
- Human – The double canoe depicts two human figures
“These canoes each have their own soul,” Ahvakana said. “They’re girls — they each have their own spirit, personality, and feeling.”
Painting took place both in the longhouse and in Ahvakana and Villa’s own living room, where the vessels temporarily replaced their dining table as the centerpiece of their household. “Our kids will always remember that we ate dinner on a canoe while we finished it,” Villa said, laughing.
Carrying canoe culture forward
The installation not only honors the past — it encourages viewers to understand that canoe culture is ongoing, not symbolic.
Those wishing to see Coast Salish racing canoes in motion can do so in Suquamish.
“If you want to see these types of canoes being raced, come to Chief Seattle Days on the third weekend of August,” Ahvakana said. “You’ll see them on the water — how they move, how they’re paddled, and how much pride there is.”
Art, responsibility, and representation
For the artists, the most meaningful part was contributing work that future generations — including their own children — will see, recognize, and take pride in.
“It’s surreal,” Boure said. “This is my first major project, and to have it installed here feels amazing.” Ahvakana said the project honors both tradition and accountability.
“This is for our people, our community, and our kids,” she said. “It shows that we’re still here, still traveling on the water.”