Native American Heritage Guide

Home , Cheshiahud, Chief Seattle, Coast Salish, Denny Party, Duane Pasco, Duwamish people

and volcanoes, Transformer may still be at work today. today. work at be still may Transformer volcanoes, and Cover photo: artist Shaun Peterson (Puyallup). Photo: Esha Hart Esha Photo: (Puyallup). Peterson Shaun artist photo: Cover

people live. Given the region’s dynamic history of earthquakes earthquakes of history dynamic region’s the Given live. people

Content by Past Forward NW Cultural Services, third edition 2016 edition third Services, Cultural NW Forward Past by Content

spirit being called Transformer who created the landscape where where landscape the created who Transformer called being spirit

cedar and salmon. Oral histories among tribal groups feature a a feature groups tribal among histories Oral salmon. and cedar

generations, traditional life centered on two primary resources: resources: primary two on centered life traditional generations,

visitseattle.org/culturalheritage

in the Cascade Mountains to lowland rivers and beaches. For many many For beaches. and rivers lowland to Mountains Cascade the in

10,000 years. Sites are found throughout the landscape, from high high from landscape, the throughout found are Sites years. 10,000

Archaeological sites in the Puget Sound area date back over over back date area Sound Puget the in sites Archaeological

traditional foods. traditional

such traditions as canoe carving, weaving, and preparation of of preparation and weaving, carving, canoe as traditions such

4Culture / King County Public Art Collection Art Public County King / 4Culture

Sound Native communities, based on renewing and passing on on passing and renewing on based communities, Native Sound and artist the of courtesy fabrication), (in

Wisdom Grandfather’s Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Wilbur-Sigo, Andrea

In recent years, a cultural revival has taken place in Puget Puget in place taken has revival cultural a years, recent In

education programs. programs. education

working hard to revitalize the language through youth and adult adult and youth through language the revitalize to hard working community events that make Seattle unique. Seattle make that events community cultural legacies. cultural

that is traditionally spoken in the Seattle area, and tribes are are tribes and area, Seattle the in spoken traditionally is that of Native legacies in the place names, artistic traditions and and traditions artistic names, place the in legacies Native of contribute to this project and who preserve and protect Seattle’s Seattle’s protect and preserve who and project this to contribute

Lushootseed, or Puget Sound Salish, is the Coast Salish language language Salish Coast the is Salish, Sound Puget or Lushootseed, and special events, and exploring the city with an awareness awareness an with city the exploring and events, special and Our sincere thanks to all the community members who helped helped who members community the all to thanks sincere Our

ways – by visiting museums and heritage sites, attending festivals festivals attending sites, heritage and museums visiting by – ways

Hilbert (1918 – 2008) – (1918 Hilbert Vi Elder Skagit Upper -

Washington State Convention Center at 7th & Pike. Pike. & 7th at Center Convention State Washington taRšeblu

Seattle’s Native American heritage can be experienced in many many in experienced be can heritage American Native Seattle’s

“We have always been here, we are still here, we will always be here.” here.” be always will we here, still are we here, been always have “We

at 1st & Pike in downtown Seattle or the main floor of the the of floor main the or Seattle downtown in Pike & 1st at

rather than the role of Columbus in colonizing the Americas. Americas. the colonizing in Columbus of role the than rather

. Or stop by one of our Visitor Information Centers Centers Information Visitor our of one by stop Or . visitseattle.org

Indigenous Peoples Day, honoring the resilience of Native culture, culture, Native of resilience the honoring Day, Peoples Indigenous

Alaska and the rest of North America. America. North of rest the and Alaska

Learn more about Seattle and access expert travel advice at at advice travel expert access and Seattle about more Learn

In 2014, the Seattle City Council designated October 14 as as 14 October designated Council City Seattle the 2014, In

diverse group of Native people from throughout Washington, Washington, throughout from people Native of group diverse

County Lodging Tax) and the the and Tax) Lodging County . . Office of Arts and Culture and Arts of Office

Tulalip, and Puyallup Nations. In addition, Seattle is home to a a to home is Seattle addition, In Nations. Puyallup and Tulalip, and cultural resources. resources. cultural and

Visit Seattle, and supported by funding from from funding by supported and Seattle, Visit (King (King 4Culture

including the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie, Muckleshoot, Suquamish, Duwamish, the including managers, along with federal and state governments, of natural natural of governments, state and federal with along managers,

The guides are produced by the Cultural Tourism program of of program Tourism Cultural the by produced are guides The

spaces. Several Indian tribes call the region around Seattle home, home, Seattle around region the call tribes Indian Several spaces. treaty rights for fishing, shellfishing and hunting, and serve as co- as serve and hunting, and shellfishing fishing, for rights treaty

communities and unique history. unique and communities be found throughout the city’s museums, galleries and public public and galleries museums, city’s the throughout found be States government. Tribes today are sovereign nations which hold hold which nations sovereign are today Tribes government. States

that will give you an insider’s view of Seattle’s vibrant ethnic ethnic vibrant Seattle’s of view insider’s an you give will that and landscape features have Indian names, and tribal artwork can can artwork tribal and names, Indian have features landscape and Creek (1854) and the Treaty of Point Elliott (1855) to the United United the to (1855) Elliott Point of Treaty the and (1854) Creek

about museums, historic sites, public art and neighborhoods neighborhoods and art public sites, historic museums, about the Suquamish and Duwamish people, many of our communities communities our of many people, Duwamish and Suquamish the acres of their traditional territories under the Treaty of Medicine Medicine of Treaty the under territories traditional their of acres

visitors who want to explore the city’s rich cultural heritage. Learn Learn heritage. cultural rich city’s the explore to want who visitors Seattle is Indian Country. The city is named for a hereditary chief of of chief hereditary a for named is city The Country. Indian is Seattle Indian tribes in the Puget Sound region ceded thousands of of thousands ceded region Sound Puget the in tribes Indian

are a resource for for resource a are SEATTLE CULTURAL HERITAGE GUIDES GUIDES HERITAGE CULTURAL SEATTLE

INTRODUCTION

Project 562, instagram.com/matikawilbur 562, Project

Tulalip), / (Swinomish Wilbur Matika by 2014 (Tulalip), Ancheta Eckos and Bibiana Darkfeather,

Canoes representing Native American tribes from the Salish Sea wait at Solo Point during a canoe journey. Photo: Ingrid Barrentine / NW Guardian NW / Barrentine Ingrid Photo: journey. canoe a during Point Solo at wait Sea Salish the from tribes American Native representing Canoes

HERITAGE SITES SITES HERITAGE • GALLERIES • MUSEUMS SPECIAL EVENTS SPECIAL •

CULTURAL HERITAGE GUIDE HERITAGE CULTURAL

NATIVE AMERICAN AMERICAN NATIVE ABOUT THIS GUIDE THIS ABOUT

Portrait from University of Washington SPECIAL EVENTS LIbraries, Special Collections, NA 1511

Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow Photo by Jack Storms

FIRST SALMON CELEBRATION Spring or Summer, Indian Reservations throughout the Pacific Northwest These annual ceremonies are observed by many tribes, depending on the timing of local salmon runs. According to tradition, the first COAST SALISH ARTWORK salmon caught each season is welcomed as a sacred guest, and treated with respect. This time-honored event is an opportunity “Every part of this country is sacred to my people. Every to thank the salmon for returning and for giving its life to feed the The ubiquitous totem pole, the most visible example of Native Small items such as spindle whorls and hillside, every valley, every plain and grove has been hallowed people. Contact individual tribes for information about dates and artwork in Seattle, actually comes from Southeast Alaska and canoe paddles were both utilitarian objects locations; a directory of tribes can be found at goia.wa.gov. by some fond memory or some sad experience of my tribe.” British Columbia. and ornately carved artworks. Twined baskets, as well as hats and clothing were made from SPIRIT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FESTIVAL Since the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, Seattle has had close ties cedar, and master weavers created elegant blankets June, Seattle Center (si?aA) to the Northwest Coast, and many monumental works of art from This festival brings together American Indians, Alaska Natives and CHIEF SEATTLE and robes on large looms using yarns spun from the First Nations People for a pow wow, Native art market, music and Haida, Tsimshian and Tlingit carvers can be seen in Seattle. hair of mountain goats and woolly dogs. dance performances, and cultural celebration. Seattle is the only major city named for a Native American chief. sihb.org/spirit-indigenous-people Recognized as a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish people, Totem poles were traditionally carved from cedar trees to serve Local design traditions have long been overshadowed Chief Seattle was known as a peace maker, and as a great speaker as memorial posts displaying inherited crests, or as exterior house SEAFAIR INDIAN DAYS POW WOW by more imposing artistic styles from farther north, in his native Lushootseed language. This 1864 studio portrait is posts providing support for large cedar long houses. but contemporary artists such as Susan Point, Roger July, Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Discovery Park Hundreds of dancers in full regalia, dozens of drum groups and the only known photograph of the famous Indian leader. Fernandes, Andrea Wilbur-Sigo and Shaun Peterson thousands of spectators gather to celebrate the richness of Native These monumental sculptures feature stylized animals and animal- The Chief’s name was pronounced “See-Ahlth,” which was are reviving Coast Salish aesthetics. These and American cultures. unitedindians.org spirits such as Bear, Beaver, Raven, Frog, Killer Whale, and many difficult for English speaking settlers to say, so they smoothed other Native artists draw on traditional styles, and others that play important roles in traditional stories and are CANOE JOURNEY it out by changing it to “Seattle,” and it is sometimes written as incorporate new materials such as glass and associated with family clans reaching back many generations. July and August, Destination changes annually “Sealth.” metal, to create work that is increasingly Canoe families’ representing tribes throughout the region travel for Traditional totem poles are on display at the Burke Museum, Victor visible in Seattle’s galleries, museums, weeks each July in large cedar dugout canoes. This journey, which is In addition to the city which bears his name, Chief Seattle’s most Steinbrueck Park, Pioneer Square, and other parks and viewpoints and public artworks. alcohol and drug free, culminates in a week-long celebration at the enduring legacy is his 1854 speech which includes the famous around the city. Contemporary artists throughout the Pacific destination village or tribal community. statement above. facebook.com/OfficalTribalJourneys Northwest have adopted this form, and examples of their work In 1887, more than 30 years later, the speech was first printed in can be seen in many museums and galleries. CHIEF SEATTLE DAYS a Seattle newspaper, based on notes by Seattle pioneer Henry August, Suquamish, Port Madison Reservation Smith. How well the speech truly captured the Chief’s words, COAST SALISH ARTWORK, the traditional style of the Puget This historic celebration includes traditional dancing, canoe races, originally spoken in Lushootseed and translated into Chinook Sound area, features more subtle and personal designs. Local Native foods and artwork, and a ceremony honoring Chief Seattle. jargon and then into English, and how much reflected Smith’s traditions included carved objects such as house posts, that were suquamish.org flourishes of Victorian oratory can’t be determined with any both decorative and functional. In this region, house posts were INDIGENOUS SHOWCASE certainty. But the speech is known throughout the world as a typically found inside large plank houses as part of the framing Top: Detail from Susan Point’s Ongoing, Northwest Film Forum First Peoples, Photo courtesy of Seattle Art Museum powerful statement from an Indian leader about his people’s structure, rather than outside on public display. In partnership with Longhouse Media, this series presents the Left: We’ve by lessLIE Sam (Coast Salish). Image courtesy of Stonington Gallery work of emerging Native American and indigenous filmmakers. deep attachment to their native lands. To read Chief Seattle’s Right: Tlingit Totem Pole in Pioneer Square by Charles Brown; Photo: Michael Craft nwfilmforum.org speech, visit suquamish.org.