| Maiselle Bridges, Puyallup Tribal Elder, is a living legend | | | | Valerie always wanted to help her urban cousins learn |
| and visionary behind Wa He Lut Indian School. She | | | | about their culture. Berry picking, carving, weaving, |
| and her daughters, Alison Gottfriedson and Suzette | | | | and beading were all skills Valerie was interested in |
| Bridges, are lifetime members of the school board at | | | | teaching and those same things are taught at Wa He |
| Wa He Lut, a state-aligned and accredited school. 120 | | | | Lut. The school also teaches Native language, sign |
| students, K-8, from many native tribes, travel from | | | | language, and traditional ceremonies. "In memory of |
| as far as Skokomish, Squaxin, and McCleary for a | | | | her, we started the school". Maiselle explained. It was |
| quality education that includes their native history and | | | | named after Wa He Lut, Nisqually warrior and "right |
| culture. | | | | hand to Chief Leschi." Suzette's son Powhatten was |
| The school is located at historic Frank's Landing on | | | | reaching school age, so despite ongoing raids, her |
| the Nisqually River near the Frank's Landing smoke | | | | husband Sid Miller built a two-room school directly on |
| shop, which provdes funds for supplies and | | | | the landing. |
| equipment for Wa He Lut and other neccessary | | | | When game wardens came in to raid, teachers would |
| programs. Frank's Landing Indian Community is a small, | | | | get the children on the floor to play games so they |
| federally recognized sovereign nation of many tribes. | | | | wouldn't see their parents mistreated and arrested. |
| After a recent raid by federal agent during a time of | | | | But it kept up, so the small school was lifted in the |
| negotiations, the smoke shop now operates under | | | | night and moved just across the road, which was |
| the Squaxin tribe compact, in agreement with the | | | | Fort Lewis land by then. However, in Maiselle's words, |
| state, restoring funds to the school. In the words of | | | | "warriors in D.C." successfully worked to regain that |
| William Frank Sr., Maiselle's dad, "Nothing defeated Wa | | | | property for the school. The National Guard was |
| He Lut the man, and so nothing will defeat our | | | | eventually called in to end the continuing raids. Built up |
| school." | | | | over time, the school gained funding but was lost to |
| Maiselle and Al Bridges, as well as daughters Alison, | | | | a flood in 1996. |
| Valerie and Suzette, were key figures in the struggle | | | | Winning an award for quality construction done |
| of local Native people to retain fishing rights | | | | expeditiously, the new school opened in 1998 and is a |
| guaranteed in the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854. | | | | testament to a proud culture. "What we try to do is |
| There were decades of violent raids on the people | | | | give them a good, strong sense of who they are, to |
| of Frank's Landing, land held in federal trust for | | | | be proud of it," said principal Brenda Bowman, as we |
| William Frank Sr. since 1919. Two years earlier many | | | | peeked into the lively classrooms, everyone engaged |
| Native people were evacuated from their homes for | | | | in activity. The whole staff created a positive |
| the construction of Fort Lewis. Some allotments for | | | | atmosphere, crediting and helping each other and it is |
| Native people were obtained in the land grab, | | | | reflected in the students. Native art and cultural |
| including Frank's Landing. State game wardens clubbed | | | | artifacts are displayed in the entry: figures of |
| and jailed Native people for fishing the river; Maiselle | | | | welcome carved by master carver Simon Charlie, as |
| and her family were no exception. | | | | well as a dugout canoe once confiscated by state |
| Finally, in 1974, the Boldt Decision stated that the | | | | game wardens. |
| rights of the tribes had been violated and that treaty | | | | Schools like Wa He Lut are vital to keeping children |
| was to be recognized, but the raids continued. | | | | connected to their ancestral culture amidst the |
| This struggle for treaty rights is the focus of Carol | | | | modern day popular culture. Suzette Mills once told |
| Burns' documentary, As Long as the Rivers Run. She | | | | me that anything you believe in your heart and |
| lived with Maiselle's family for 3 years. Maiselle's | | | | commit to can make a difference, and I believe that |
| daughters, just teenagers then, spoke with the | | | | too. Alison, whose Indian name means "someone |
| passion and strength of clear leaders in Carol's | | | | who gets things done," confidently believes these |
| documentary, rallying activists who'd come to offer | | | | students will succeed and emerge as leaders. Wa He |
| help. The film is dedicated to the Bridges' middle child, | | | | Lut begins each day with ancestral songs, drumming, |
| Valerie, who, though an avid swimmer, drowned in | | | | and dances while standing in a large circle-with no |
| the Nisqually in 1970. | | | | beginning, and no end. |