Tribal speakers open Redmond State of the City; call for meaningful partnership and cultural protection

An Indigenous delegation opened Redmond's State of the City with a traditional moon-transformer song and a call for partnership that recognizes and protects ancestral places.

A speaker identifying themselves as the Snoqualmie canoe family welcomed attendees, said the land "has been on since time immemorial," and asked for transformed treatment of natural resources and cultural places. The group introduced its chairman and closed with a traditional love song.

A subsequent speaker, who identified himself as "Robert D. Los Angeles, the chairman," said the city of Redmond formally partnered with tribal leadership through an ancestral lands acknowledgement. He urged that the partnership be substantive, not merely ceremonial, pointing to archaeological finds along Bear Creek — "stone points, scrapers" and evidence of kokanee salmon — that show the area's long Indigenous presence. He said protecting those places "is not an obstacle to growth. This is a gift," and called for deeper collaboration as Redmond plans light rail expansion, housing and other development.

The remarks framed the rest of the event by connecting city priorities — growth and transit — with the need to respect and incorporate Indigenous perspectives on stewardship and cultural preservation. The mayor thanked the tribal representatives during the address and referenced the acknowledgement when describing partnerships that guide the city's work.

The transcript uses both the terms "Snoqualmie canoe family" and references to the "Suquamish Indian tribe" in adjacent passages; the speakers themselves tied tribal history and archaeological evidence to present-day Redmond decisions rather than specifying legal claims or land titles. No formal agreements or new policy actions were announced during the event.