Jarrette Werk and Nika Bartoo-Smith
Underscore Native News + ICT
From foster care to serving his country in the military, to serving prison time, Albert Kevin Smith has lived many lives over the past six decades. Today, the Suquamish, Shoshone-Bannock and Pima elder has become the heart and soul of a groundbreaking carving program at Cedar Creek Corrections Center (Cedar Creek) in Little Rock, Washington.
The initiative is a partnership between Cedar Creek, the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Department of Children, Youth and Families and the Native American nonprofit Unkitawa. Unkitawa holds a contract with the DOC to provide cultural and ceremonial services to incarcerated Native Americans within the state’s prison system.
Created in the fall of 2024, the carving program aims to help provide outlets for healing and help foster a connection to culture for those incarcerated at Cedar Creek.
Eliminating the barrier of access to traditional and cultural practices while incarcerated has been crucial for the success and healing for program participants.
This access now allows Smith to utilize his knowledge to mentor younger incarcerated individuals, such as Ordez Kompkoff, Aleut.
Underscore’s team visited with Smith and Kompkoff leading up to the March 2 totem pole awakening ceremony, which was held in front of Cedar Creek.
