Nothing Defeats Wa He Lut

author : Daisy Ouye topic : Frank's Landing

by Daisy Ouye

Maiselle Bridges, Puyallup Tribal Elder, is a local living legend and visionary behind Wa He Lut Indian School. She and her daughters, Alison Gottfriedson and Suzette Bridges, are lifetime members of the school board at Wa He Lut, a state-aligned and accredited school. 120 students, K–8, from many native tribes, travel from as far as Skokomish, Squaxin, and McCleary for a quality education that includes their native history and culture.

The school is located at historic Frank’s Landing on the Nisqually River near the Frank’s Landing smoke shop. Raided by federal agents in May, the smoke shop has been closed for 5 months, freezing funds used to provide supplies and equipment to Wa He Lut. The fate of a state cigarette compact is still in the hands of the politicians. But in the words of William Frank Sr., Maiselle’s dad, “Nothing defeated Wa He Lut the man, and so nothing will defeat our school.”

Maiselle and Al Bridges, as well as daughters Alison, Valerie and Suzette, were key figures in the struggle of local Native people to retain fishing rights guaranteed in the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854. There were decades of violent raids on the people of Frank’s Landing, land held in federal trust for William Frank Sr. since 1919. Two years earlier many Native people were evacuated from their homes for the construction of Fort Lewis. Some allotments for Native people were obtained in the land grab, including Frank’s Landing. State game wardens clubbed and jailed Native people for fishing the river; Maiselle and her family were no exception.

Finally, in 1974, the Boldt Decision stated that the rights of the tribes had been violated and that treaty was to be recognized, but the raids continued.

This struggle for treaty rights is the focus of Carol Burns’ documentary, As Long as the Rivers Run. She lived with Maiselle’s family for 3 years. Maiselle’s daughters, just teenagers then, spoke with the passion and strength of clear leaders in Carol’s documentary, rallying activists who’d come to offer help. The film is dedicated to the Bridges’ middle child, Valerie, who, though an avid swimmer, drowned in the Nisqually in 1970.

Valerie always wanted to help her urban cousins learn about their culture. Berry picking, carving, weaving, and beading were all skills Valerie was interested in teaching and those same things are taught at Wa He Lut. The school also teaches Native language, sign language, and traditional ceremonies. “In memory of her, we started the school”. Maiselle explained. It was named after Wa He Lut , Nisqually warrior and “right hand to Chief Leschi.” Suzette’s son Powhatten was reaching school age, so despite ongoing raids, her husband Sid Miller built a two-room school directly on the landing.

When game wardens came in to raid, teachers would get the children on the floor to play games so they wouldn’t see their parents mistreated and arrested. But it kept up, so the small school was lifted in the night and moved just across the road, which was Fort Lewis land by then. However, in Maiselle’s words, “warriors in D.C.” successfully worked to regain that property for the school. The National Guard was eventually called in to end the continuing raids. Built up over time, the school gained funding but was lost to a flood in 1996.

Winning an award for quality construction done expeditiously, the new school opened in 1998 and is a testament to a proud culture. “What we try to do is give them a good, strong sense of who they are, to be proud of it,” said principal Brenda Bowman, as we peeked into the lively classrooms, everyone engaged in activity. The whole staff created a positive atmosphere, crediting and helping each other and it is reflected in the students. Native art and cultural artifacts are displayed in the entry: figures of welcome carved by master carver Simon Charlie, as well as a dugout canoe once confiscated by state game wardens.

Schools like Wa He Lut are vital to keeping children connected to their ancestral culture amidst the modern day popular culture. Suzette Mills once told me that anything you believe in your heart and commit to can make a difference, and I believe that too. Alison, whose Indian name means “someone who gets things done,” confidently believes these students will succeed and emerge as leaders. Wa He Lut begins each day with ancestral songs, drumming, and dances while standing in a large circle—with no beginning, and no end.

Daisy Ouye is an independent journalist. Born in Michigan, she has been an Olympia resident for 16 years.