Ancient S'klallam VIEW
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THE The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe S’KLALLAM Helping bring you the monthly news WEB VIEW from your S’Klallam community. Edition Jan 2012 INSIDE THIS MONTH’S EDITION: A Farewell Message... Page 3 Casino Update... Ancient Page 4 Discovery! Around the Reservation... In the heart of S’Klallam Country, Pages 5 to 7 an archeological site with major implications. News & Updates In October of this year a major for the settling of the Americas by Native Page 8 archeological publication about a peoples was that following the retreat of discovery in the heart of S’Klallam Country the glaciers that covered much of North with major implications for how the America at the end of last glacial period, peopling of the Americas is understood was small groups of people traveled through brought to light. inland corridors to come into the Americas around 12,000 years ago. Archeologist The Manis-Mastedon Site was discovered referred to these people as the “Clovis in 1977 by a farmer clearing land in the Culture” named after an archeological site Sequim area. The site consisted of the intact near Clovis New Mexico. The relative bones of an adult male mastodon lying on its age of these and other Clovis sites were side. The mastodon showed signs of having determined by the geological stratigraphy been butchered due to cut marks on the where the artifacts were found (typically bones and by the ways bones were fractured, large stone blades) and the faunal (animal) most likely to extract the marrow. Most remains present with them. significant the tip of a bone point was found protruding from one of the ribs. At the time of its discovery the Manis mastodon site challenged existing When the Manis site was first discovered predominate archeologists’ theories about the most popular archeological explanation the migration of people into the new world CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 Port Gamble Ancient Discovery: S’Klallam Anthropology Notes S’Klallam Tribe 31912 Little Boston Road NE By Josh Wisniewski, Tribal Anthropologist Kingston, WA 98346 Telephone: Continued from page 1 360-297-2646 Fax: 360-297-7097 though inland routes. This find suggested clear evidence that the first ancestors of the Website: people would very likely have traveled S’Klallam and other North American Native www.pgst.nsn.us through coastal routes and therefore possessed Peoples were here on the Olympic Peninsula Email: marine technologies. The bone point in the by at least 13,800 years ago. These are such [email protected] rib was also highly criticized and archeologists big numbers is difficult to fully comprehend did not posses many of the high tech scanning what they mean. To put it in perspective that Tribal Council technologies available to archeologists would be 13,280 years before Christopher Jeromy Sullivan, today. Many scholars thought it might be Columbus got lost and found himself in the Chairman an internal growth, or the wound from an Caribbean! Chris Tom, Vice Chairman Thus an archeological discovery from the Francine Swift, Heart of S’Klallam country has the potential Councilman Archeology, to radically change how we understand the Kelly Baze, like other sciences are ways of human history of the Americas. Councilman Chad Sullivan, trying to know and understand the -- Josh Wisniewski is PGST’s archeologist, and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Councilman world we live in using a set of Kari DeCoteau, He received his professional Training in both Councilman intellectual tool and methods. cultural anthropology and archeology from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, where Entity Directors encounter with another animal. Thankfully he completed his B.A. and M.A. degrees. Marjorie Zarate the archeologist who made the discovery did He completed his PH.D. in anthropology CEO not whip out his leatherman on the spot and through the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Dallas DeGuire, try to extract the point! Rather Carl Gustafson Josh has lived in a traditional Inupiaq Eskimo Administrative Director, and other archeologists associated with the subsistence hunting community documenting PGS Tribal Government early research waited until the sophisticated hunters’ knowledge and traditional hunting Noel Higa (Think CSI) technologies existed that enabled and resource management practices before Director them perform DNA testing, and Accelerated coming to work for PGST. Port Gamble Mass Spectrometer (AMS) dating. They were Development Authority able to determine that the bone point in the Josh works under the Natural Resources Teressa Lange mastodon rib was from a different animal, and Department and in close coordination with Housing Director that no healing took place around the wound the Cultural Resources Program. His office Leo Culloo, indicating that it dies soon after it received the is located in the Tribal Archives. His current General Manager, wound. The dating they obtained indicated project is mapping and creating a database The Point Casino the age of the mastodon at between 13860 of cultural sites important to Tribal history, Linda Helm, and 13763 years old. This provides evidence cultural and harvesting practices. He also Director, that people were present in the Americas at works closely with the Port Gamble Bay Tribal Gaming Agency least 1000 years before the archeologically Protection Team and developed a cultural Denise Comstock, designated Clovis People. resource management policy for PGST. PGS Foundation One of his primary goals with the Tribe Executive Director Archeology, like other sciences are ways is to work with elders in order to preserve of trying to know and understand the world their knowledge of the environment and to we live in using a set of intellectual tool and defend treaty protected harvest rights. His methods. It is but one way of coming to know door is always open and he encourages tribal the world among many others and at times members to stop by at any time. it is highly imperfect and new discoveries provide important challenges to preexisting assumptions. This discovery is very exciting. It provides 2 “Good bye”Farewell Message from Dr. Patchen. After nearly ten years, Dr. Patchen, one of our dentists Leadership at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Dental Clinic is retiring. The Tribe has been blessed with having wonderful, dedicated Group: providers and, while we wish him the very best, we are sorry to see him go. Dr. Patchen is extending the following message to our community: SWAG “Although I’ve had a lot of practice over the years, it is still hard to say “Good bye”. After almost 10 years of serving the S’Klallams Working And Giving, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, it is time for me to retire. That a group formed for our youth, began means saying “Good bye” at the end of 2011. Having never in September. This group of youth stayed in one place for more than 4 years since 1966, it is hard want to be good decision makers and to believe that I have been here for more than 10. to ake a difference in our community. Some of the things we have I appreciate the way you welcomed me to the Tribe done so far are: and the support that you gave me throughout the years. You all have had a very • We were able to take 8 youth to a prevention summit in Yakima, positive impact in my life and for that I will always be grateful. where they got to see that there are many groups just like theirs Getting to know my first Native American people up close all over doing the same kinds of and personally has been a wonderful experience. I appreciate things in their communities. the way you welcomed me to the Tribe and the support that you gave me throughout the years. You all have had a very • We had a few meetings where positive impact in my life and for that I will always be grateful. they discussed where they would like to see our reservation in 10 I would like to express my appreciation and admiration for years. A few changes they would your dental clinic staff. I have worked in 12 different dental like are less drugs and alcohol, clinics over the past 35 years and this is truly at the top of for the rez to be clean, more that list for their quality and commitment. You can feel very grateful to have these people here to provide your dental care. I culture, more tournaments and will miss seeing them all as frequently but will certainly remain for their leadership group to in touch. grow bigger and teach the new generation how to lead a good I won’t launch into a lengthy “Thanks and good bye” to tribe in the right direction. individuals at the Tribe because there isn’t adequate space here to list everyone and I might forget to mention someone • Following that we recently went important. Please accept my sincerest thanks and know how to a native wellness leadership important you have been to me. I plan to visit regularly and training at the Great Wolf Lodge. hope to see many of you during those visits. We were able to take 29 of our youth for this event. Now it’s on to retirement – sleeping late, hobbies, relaxing, etc, etc. It doesn’t sound too bad. 3 Casino Update! With the approach of the new Facility opening in April, 2011 we will be preparing for many new team members to join the excitement at the new Point Casino! We will be adding several new positions to the team as well as increasing the number of existing positions. We are anticipating 70 to 90 new team members with approximately 52 of those positions being in the Food & Beverage department.