Page 3 - December 2009

3 i Honoring our Elders: Elaine Sutterlict- “..enjoys teaching and learning about her culture...” Elaine was born in October 1952 to Bennie and Hattie (Hayden) Pikutark in Portland, Oregon. Her grandparents were John and Bessie (Walker) Hayden. Her grandmother was Upper Chehalis and her grandfather was Lower Chehalis. Her great-grandparents were Tom Hayden and Lucy Bill Heck, who was married to Silas Heck at one time. Her other great-grandparents were Clara (Jacobs) and Joseph Walker. Elaine’s father was Inupiaq (Eskimo) from near Nome, Alaska. She has an older half-sister, LaVera Pikutark-Dubberly, who lived with the family in her younger years. Elaine was the middle child of three siblings, Ronnie Pikutark being the oldest, and a younger sister, Diane “Bub” Pikutark. Unfortunately, Diane died in 1978. Elaine inherited her love of photographs from her Elaine was married to Bennie Sutterlict, Jr., (Yakama Nation) until his death mother. Elaine always encourages her family to get in 1998. They met at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg. He had together for photographs every year. This helps just returned from a tour in Vietnam and she had just graduated. He had a create good memories and enables them to see the daughter from a previous marriage, Darcey Sutterlict- Maass. While married to children grow up. Bennie they had four sons: Kevin, Greg, Stephan and Rikki. Taholah to see Elaine remembers going to a powwow Elaine has 16 grandchildren: Robert, Leona, Michael, Leroy Jr., Cheyenne, a dentist. “We in Seattle. They had the Grand Entry in Brittany, Emery, Cleo, Steven, Sarah, Deidrah, Teila, Mackenzie, Nawinathla, would take the alphabetical order of tribal names. “They Pataathla, and Lawyce. There are also four great-grandchildren: Anthony, Leroy whole day off to called out the delegation from the particular III, Cyrus, and Michelangelo. go to the dentist. tribe and the spotlight would shine on you as In 2000, Elaine married Jack McCloud, Jr. (Nisqually Tribe). Uncle Clem, you danced in. They had large delegations Aunt Susie, Pat from various tribes in their beautiful beaded and all of us. buckskin outfts and then there was us. We Elaine spent most of her childhood on and seeing all those books and thinking that Mom and Susie would pack a lunch and we were just a handful of kids who had never the Chehalis Reservation after her family it was so special that I could check them would eat on the beach. The quack dentist danced before and the arena was huge. Good moved back from Portland. They lived in out.” they had would give us a shot of Novocaine thing for me I didn’t wear my glasses, so I her grandparent’s house, the old Eyle house, When Elaine’s family lived in Portland, but we wouldn’t feel its effect until we were couldn’t see all those people looking at our then moved to Lizzie Johnson’s house. The cousins would come and live with them, heading home. As we hit Aberdeen, our small little group.” houses had no electricity and no running starting with Edna Youckton. She came to mouths would start getting numb.” Elaine says her life growing up on the water. Family members hand- carried help out with the kids. When they lived Elaine and her sister took up basket reservation with a large extended family water from Willamette Creek. The houses at Lizzie’s, cousins took turns living with making, beadwork and Indian dancing when was flled with happy times and hard times. were heated by pot bellied stoves wood them. At that time there were a lot of house they were in high school. “I guess the tribe “We were poor and struggled, but we were cooking stoves in the kitchens. Food was fres and children would be parted out must have got some sort of grant to offer raised by a mother who told us she loved foated in plastic bags in the creek to keep it while families rebuilt or found places to culture enrichment classes. Mom had gone only her ‘Heavenly Father’ more than us. fresh. When there was oil, the family used stay. Elaine’s mom took care of the Hayden to Chemawha Boarding School and could There are so many stories that only my kids kerosene lamps. When there was no oil, they family children for extended periods of time, teach us to knit, crochet or embroider but and grandkids have heard and some that I used candles. like during clamming season. not any traditional crafts. She said she must keep to myself. I enjoy telling my stories Elaine’s last move was to the house Christmas time back then was different have been a tomboy and that all she ever did and hope other Elders will have a good time where she presently lives. “When we frst than now. “We received care packages, was make bottoms.” telling their stories for our readers.” moved in, we had no water and carried usually an outft and a toy,” says Elaine. Hazel Pete was their teacher and John water from our grandparent’s house. “I don’t “Each gift would say ‘10-year-old boy’ or Donavan also taught. “I remember he taught remember what year all of the reservation ‘8-year-old girl.’ One year mine came and it us how to play slahal games and got electricity and running water, but I said ‘boy’. Inside was a fannel shirt, jeans how to dance. remember having wringer washer machines and a toy for a boy. This was when girls He told us at both houses and hanging clothes outside rarely wore pants.” to go home or around the house,” recalls Elaine. Elaine remembers picking strawberries and ask our “Our chores included carrying water, each summer. “It would be cold bushes parents what carrying wood, making kindling, and that greeted us in the morning and hot sun kind of outfts washing dishes,” remembers Elaine. “Mom beating down on us in the afternoon,” recalls our people got sick and told me I was going to have Elaine. “We weren’t allowed to goof around. wore. Mom to learn to cook. I had to bake biscuits I remember Bub and I tried squishing berries said until we because we had no bread. She showed me under our noses and saying we had bloody reached puberty, the cookbook and gave me pointers. I didn’t noses, but it didn’t work.” you usually understand the directions that well but tried Summer was also time to go get eels. wore nothing. to follow them. I tried sifting the shortening Elaine and others would go with Uncle Then the girls and it was a mess and I started to cry.” Clarence Youckton to gather large black wore cedar bark Elaine and her family member went to ants for bait, then head to Rainbow Falls. skirts. When it got the Shaker Church, then the “Little White ”The men would use a pole with a hook to colder, you would Church.” snag the eels. They would throw them up on put on a cedar Elaine went to Oakville Public School the rocks and we would grab them with old bark cape and if it from the 1 to 12 grades, and graduated socks we had on our hands. We would bang rained you would st th in 1970. There was no kindergarten or them against the rocks and put them in a have a cedar bark Headstart back then. “The Timberland gunny sack.” hat. Since it rained Library had a bookmobile that came out The family would go to the “camp so much, we usually 1969 photo of Diane (L) and Elaine in front of here to Oakville. My mom loved to read. meetings” at Little Boston for summer went barefoot. So their first home on Howanut Road. Children in We would all check out books, and if we vacations. They were joined by the Windsor, we went with ‘Plan front (L-R) Cheyenne, Rose and Ringo Pickernell. didn’t read them all, my mom usually did. I Ortivez, Jones and other families. B’ and made cloth remember walking up the bookmobile steps Elaine remembers having to drive to dresses.” Staff Profles: Youth Center Director and Behavior Health Youth Counselor I’m Tony Medina, a tribal cars, trucks, and motorcycles. great! Each day I look forward to seeing to giving them the skills to avoid getting member and the Youth Taking a piece of junk vehicle, all the youth show up. So if you ever get a involved with, or getting uninvolved with, Coordinator for the Youth and making an operateable chance, swing by the Youth Center. It will alcohol and drugs. Center for the past 12 years. piece of junk is cool. I’ve also make your day when you see those smiles This next year we are hoping to have I grew up in California in learned that keeping weeds out and big eyes of joy as the youth play and a healing garden -- the group room in the a small town called Port of roses is nearly impossible. have fun. Behavioral Health Clinic painted by Elders Hueneme. While growing up, I’ve been weeding roses and youth who want to volunteer. (The I played a lot of sports. It was practically all my life. While theme should represent the Chehalis Tribe.) great to be encouraged by growing up in California, my My name is Gail Hurst. In 2007, I came to There will be more youth activities that my parents and six brothers mom Alice always grew the tribe under contract to be a Chemical promote prevention and sobriety coming and sister. After graduating Youth Center roses in front of the house. Dependency Counselor for 90 days. I was later in 2010. from high school, I worked Weeding the rose garden later hired permanently. There will be a news fyer starting in for Northroup Factory. I did Director was one of my many chores. I’ve been married to my husband for January on signs and symptoms of substance some landscaping to earn Another of my passions 15 years (modern Brady Bunch) and have use, abuse, and dependency, along with extra money to purchase my frst Harley. is cooking. Since becoming a diabetic six beautiful children (fve daughters news from Vocational Rehabilitation, Mental Motorcycles have always been my love. It nine years ago, it’s been hard not to eat and one son) and six grandchildren. We Health, and Prevention. This will be coming was nice how far $2 worth of gas could get tacos, enchiladas and especially homemade met at a concert held by the elementary out to the community every four months. me. Riding my frst Harley had me hooked tamales. I was raised on those foods and it school our children attended. I’ve been a My hobbies are quilting, music (I play from the start. makes it diffcult in maintaining the diabetes Washingtonian all my life, and thoroughly a variety of stringed instruments), roller In the 1990s I decided that California diet. Now I only cook them for friends and enjoy living here. skating, hiking, movies, and exploring the was getting too crowded, and decided family. I’m currently the Youth Counselor. My Northwest (via a motor home). to relocate to Oakville, Washington, and These youth on the Rez keep me going hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays started working with the youth during tribal all the time. I love playing games with from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm. Tuesdays summer programs. I also worked at Mima them, feeding them, and on occasion, and Thursdays my hours are 10:30 am to Nursery where I met Jolene, my beautiful help them in study hall preparing them 7:00 pm. My offce is located in the Behavior wife of 16 years. My now extravagant for an upcoming exam. There’s nothing Behavioral Health Clinic. Between 3:00 son, Kendell, who is 15 years old, is one more gratifying seeing the frst set of eyes to 5:00 pm on Monday, Wednesday Health of my biggest supporters. Both volunteer appear, as they race from the bus stop to and Friday you can fnd me at the at the Youth Center and put up with my be the frst kids at the Youth Center. Even Community Center working in the Youth demanding schedule. though the paperwork at the center can be youth program. I love working with As for hobbies, I love working with old overwhelming, working with the kids is the youth and my time is committed Counselor