Sovereignty, Survival, and Resilience at the Hibulb Cultural Center

The Hibulb Cultural Center, Tulalip, Washington

Last November, I had the opportunity to attend the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition conference in Tulalip, Washington. The conference was held at the Tulalip Resort Casino, on sovereign Tulalip land, which is governed by the “direct descendants of and the successors in interest to the Snohomish, Snoqualimie, Skyomish, and other allied bands signatory of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliot.” (Quoted from Tulalip Tribes, https://www.tulaliptribes-nsn.gov/) The casino is filled with art, photographs, history, and carvings.

While attending this conference (which merits its own separate post), I had the opportunity to visit the Hibulb Cultural Center, which represents the culture, language, history, sovereignty, and stories of the Tulalip tribes. It is a beautiful space that conveys each of these themes in manner that is both visually stunning and informative. The Hibulb Cultural Center also explores the Tulalip people’s experiences with the Tulalip Boarding School, which was open between 1905 and 1932. Please enjoy the following photographs from the Hibulb Cultural Center, which were taken with permission.

Sovereignty and self-determination are key themes at the cultural center, as illustrated through these panels.

Tulalip culture, values, and the historical context and consequences of European settler colonialism are addressed through exhibits such as these.

Photographs and items representing the Tulalip Boarding School are prominently featured at the Hibulb Cultural Center, along with first-person quotes from boarding school survivors about their experiences.

Carvings featured throughout the cultural center.

For additional information about the Tulalip Tribes and their history, you can check out this historical timeline and this visitor’s guide to Tulalip lands.

Samantha