We had the opportunity to see three distinctly different Tribal communities. Tulalip was created as a reservation as a result of the treaties of the 1850’s when a number of different Tribes and Bands were relocated to the land we toured. Tulalip has the most generous land base of the three Tribes we visited, and is also the largest community overall. The overall size of the community and the ongoing issues of trying to become one distinct Tribal entity as opposed to an imposed confederation are major issues for Tulalip.

Stillaguamish, re-gained federal recognition in 1976, and has had to purchase the vast majority of its land back through private land sales in order to best serve its members. We also heard that once land has been acquired there is the additional complexities involved in bringing the lands into “trust” so that they can be preserved in perpetuity.

Swinomish has more of a village feeling to its 2 square mile reservation which allows people to be able to easily move around, but also severely limits options for growth. The surrounding communities of Marysville, Arlington and La Conner are, likewise, very diverse with different economic bases and history of development.