Lummi Nation leaders and tribal members gathered last week to address the importance of protecting the natural and cultural heritage of Cherry Point (Xwe’chi’eXen). North of Bellingham, Wash., Cherry Point is the proposed site of a coal export facility, which would be the largest in North America if built. Xwe’chi’eXen was a Lummi tribal village […]
The Lummi Nation organized a dive safety course last month for 32 tribal divers. Underwater harvest of sea cucumbers, geoducks and sea urchins is integral to the livelihood of many tribal fishermen, especially in light of declining salmon runs. “Our schelangen, or way of life, depends on the natural resources of the sea,” said Lummi […]
The Lummi Nation held its First Salmon Ceremony yesterday. The Bellingham Herald covered it and has a photo gallery. From the Bellingham Herald: Lummi Natural Resources Director Merle Jefferson told the gathering that the tribe is working in cooperation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to bolster the meager spring chinook salmon run […]
The Bellingham Herald: An ongoing effort to improve salmon habitat in the lower Nooksack floodplain received another round of federal funding, the state Department of Ecology announced recently. Phase 3 of the Smuggler’s Slough restoration project obtained an $804,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for acquisition of 101 acres of wetlands and […]
Lummi Nation Natural Resources Director Merle Jefferson has a column in the Bellingham Herald expressing the tribe’s concerns about a proposed deep-water port terminal at Cherry Point: What we know now is that this proposed development would be the largest to date at Cherry Point, and would substantially impact the ability of Lummi fishermen to […]
State environmental regulators have proposed increasing the fish consumption rate used to determine water quality safety standards. The state’s current rate of 6.5 grams a day was set in the mid-1980s, but officials believe Washington residents eat much more than that. And members of fishing tribes in western Washington eat even more fish and shellfish […]
The Lummi Nation distributed sockeye salmon to tribal members last month for families to can and store for the winter. “The tribe puts fish away as much as possible when we have an abundance, for ceremonies and all the functions that the tribe sponsors,” said Randy Kinley Sr., policy representative for the tribe. “It’s very […]
The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian has a multimedia presentation on their website about tribal responses to environmental challenges. The interactive site features the Lummi Nation: The Lummi people of Washington State have depended on salmon for thousands of years, but salmon are now severely threatened. In this section, hear from members of […]
The Lummi Nation Natural Resources Department is finding out just how much seafood the average tribal member eats. Seafood consumption rates are used to determine water quality safety standards, but federal and state agencies rely on national studies. Members of fishing tribes in western Washington eat a lot more fish than the average person. State […]
Each spring, the Lummi Nation honors the first salmon harvested by tribal fishermen. The 2011 First Salmon Ceremony was held May 19 at the Lummi Nation School.
