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Three generations of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community recently published a collection of children’s books and are featured in a special collection of perspectives on traditional ecological knowledge.
The collection, Indigenous Critical Reflections on Traditional Ecological Knowledge, was published by the Oregon State University Press and became available in March.
The book aims to educate and inspire readers about Indigenous value systems—relationships, reciprocity and responsibility—that are fundamental to the cultures of Swinomish and other treaty tribes, First Nations and Indigenous communities.
Contributor Todd A. Mitchell, swəlítub, is a Swinomish tribal citizen and director of the tribe’s Department of Environmental Protection.
“The Swinomish People have long-standing traditions of protecting, honoring, and thanking Mother Earth for the gifts that nourish our people,” Mitchell wrote in an abstract for the book. “For Swinomish, it is not enough to simply work for the survival of a species or habitat: we strive to protect and preserve resources and their place in Swinomish culture.”
In his contribution, Mitchell showcases the tribe’s place-based science, habitat restoration and environmental education efforts, the latter of which emphasizes sharing traditional ecological knowledge with the tribe’s young people.
Mitchell also contributed to one of the recently published children’s books, Time of Salmonberries, that explores the folly of harvesting resources before they are ripe or ready.
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The other children’s books were written by his relatives; The Enormous Camas by his daughter Anneka Mitchell and First Salmon Ceremony by his late father Raymond Mitchell. Those books chronicle the migratory journey of salmon and how their return to rivers are honored by Native communities, and the traditional growth and harvest cycle of camas.
“We want to make the science and natural resources work we do accessible to our tribal youth, the next generation of stewards,” Todd Mitchell said. “These books provide a link to our environment, past knowledge, traditions of storytelling, and our culture.”
The stories are illustrated by tribal artists Jeanette Quintasket of Swinomish and Roger Fernandes of Lower Elwha S’Klallam.
Swinomish gifted copies of the children’s books to its membership during December 2024 holiday distributions. Remaining copies of the books are available for purchase by email request to dep@swinomish.nsn.us.
The other book, Indigenous Critical Reflections on Traditional Ecological Knowledge, is available for purchase at https://nwtt.co/tekbook.
Above: A collection of three beautifully illustrated children’s books was published by the Swinomish Department of Environmental Protection in 2024. Photos and story by Kimberly Cauvel.
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