Snoqualmie
Snoqualmie is an Indigenous nation located in Washington State, primarily along the Snoqualmie River. This tribe, which speaks a Salishan language, has a population of approximately 650 as of 2024. Historically, the Snoqualmie relied on hunting and gathering for sustenance, making use of local resources such as fish and plant materials for various utilitarian products. They constructed permanent dwellings for winter and temporary structures for other seasons, reflecting a deep connection to their environment.
The tribe's history includes significant interactions with European settlers, leading to profound changes in their way of life, including the impacts of disease and conflict. The Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855 resulted in the cession of their lands but also included provisions for fishing rights and other protections. After a period of struggle for recognition, the Snoqualmie gained federal recognition as a tribe in 1999. Recent efforts include the acquisition of over 12,000 acres of ancestral land for sustainable use, alongside initiatives in gaming and cannabis, aimed at fostering economic development while preserving their cultural heritage.
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Snoqualmie
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northwest Coast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Salishan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Snoqualmie River, Washington
- POPULATION SIZE: 650 (2024; Washingtontribes.org)
The inland Snoqualmie (including the Skykomish) depended to a large extent upon hunting and gathering, despite their access to saltwater and freshwater fish. Tules, cattails, and shredded cedar bark were used by women to make a variety of utilitarian products. The Snoqualmie lived in permanent winter gable-roofed and shed-roof dwellings and in temporary structures at other times. The politically autonomous villages had permanent membership. Young men practiced vision quests to acquire a tutelary spirit.
After the arrival of European Americans, little ethnographic information about the Snoqualmie was systematically gathered, and what was documented was done long after depopulation by disease and conflict with settlers. The Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855 called for the cession of land annuity provisions, antislavery, fishing rights, and the eventual removal of Indigenous Americans living west of the Cascade Mountains.
The nonreservation and unrecognized Snoqualmie, along with the Duwamish, Samish, Snohomish, and Steilacoom, petitioned to be recognized in the 1974 fishery treaty, but Judge George Boldt denied their motion in 1979 in the United States v. Washington case. Boldt’s decision maintains that the traditional fisheries are protected by the 1854 and 1855 negotiated treaties. In 1999, the Bureau of Indian Affairs granted federal recognition to the Snoqualmie as an Indigenous nation. Despite occurring at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic, which hindered the degree to which the Snoqualmie could celebrate, in 2019 and 2020, the Snoqualmie marked twenty years of federal recognition with many celebrations. In 2022, the Snoqualmie completed the purchase of over 12,000 acres of ancestral land, which they named the Snoqualmie Tribe Ancestral Forest. The Indigenous nation plans to use the land for sustainable timber farming and conservation. The Snoqualmie also explored modern business practices through their gaming and cannabis businesses, while promoting the preservation of their culture and history.
Bibliography
Mapes, Lynda V. "Who Belongs to Snoqualmie Tribe? 'This Is a Mess.'" Seattle Times, 6 Jan. 2013, www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/who-belongs-to-snoqualmie-tribe-this-is-a-mess. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
Opong, Diana. “For the First Time in Generations, this Tribe in Washington Has Land.” OPB, 7 Feb. 2022, www.opb.org/article/2022/02/05/for-the-first-time-in-generations-snoqualmie-tribe-has-land. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
Ruby, Robert H., et al. A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. 3rd ed., University of Oklahoma Press, 2010.
"Snoqualmie Tribe." Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, www.npaihb.org/member-tribes/snoqualmie-tribe. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
“The Tribes of Washington.” Washington Tribes, www.washingtontribes.org/the-tribes-of-washington. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
"Welcome to the Home of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe." Snoqualmie Tribe, snoqualmietribe.us. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.