DSHS Native American Heritage Month celebration and film screening
More than 500 people attended the DSHS Developmental Disabilities Administration’s Native American Heritage Month event and film screening.
This hybrid event, held on November 1, featured a community resource fair and cultural presentations. Students from the Wa He Lut Indian School performed various songs and dances. The event also featured a screening of the documentary “Fish War,” made possible by a generous donation from the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, followed by a panel discussion.
The event aimed to unite people in honoring those with unique gifts — our tribal DDA clients and their families — while celebrating Native American Heritage Month. The Department of Enterprise Services and the Department of Health were key partners in supporting this event.
“We invited each of our nearly 1,000 tribal DDA clients, and many of them joined us at the celebration,” said Lisa Pemberton, DDA Tribal Affairs Administrator. “We had tribal members travel from numerous tribes, including Port Gamble S’Klallam, Yakama, Quileute, and Muckleshoot. It was amazing.”
In the weeks before the event, DDA staff prepared beaded necklaces to distribute to members of the intellectual and developmental disability community. Each necklace featured orange beads, symbolizing awareness for developmental disabilities. Many attendees proudly wore their necklaces during the event.
The day began with lunch, followed by a community resource fair. This fair showcased many programs and services within our department, including the Developmental Disabilities Administration, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration, and Economic Services Administration. The Puyallup Tribe’s Community Domestic Violence Advocacy Program and the Native Lifeline and Crisis Line were also at the fair. At the request of a tribal representative, an educator from the Washington State Department of Health distributed naloxone and provided instructions on its proper use.
The crowd later assembled in the auditorium for the opening ceremony before the film screening. After a few brief remarks, Hanford McCloud of the Nisqually Tribe delivered an invocation. Following this, Wa He Lut students took the stage to perform a selection of Coast Salish songs and dances.
After the film, Pemberton moderated a panel discussion featuring Willie Frank III and Hanford McCloud of the Nisqually Tribe, Joseph Peters of the Squaxin Island Tribe and Tim Collins of the DSHS Office of Indian Policy.
Frank, the son of Nisqually activist Billy Frank Jr., who appeared in the documentary, stated that his father would not want anyone to dwell on bitterness regarding the history presented in the film. Instead, he would want everyone to collaborate to save salmon for future generations.