Native American Presence in the Federal Way Area By Dick Caster Prepared for the Historical Society of Federal Way Muckleshoot girl wearing traditional skirt and cape of cedar bark, late 1800s (Courtesy Smithsonian Institution) Revised July 25, 2010 This is a revised and expanded version of the January 5, 2005 monograph. Copyright © 2005, 2010 by the Historical Society of Federal Way. All Rights Reserved. Native American Presence in the Federal Way Area Native American Presence in the Federal Way Area Table of Contents Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 7 Welcome ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Material Covered ........................................................................................................................ 7 Use of “Native American” Instead of “Indian” ......................................................................... 7 Note on Style ............................................................................................................................... 8 Northwest Native Americans.......................................................................................................... 8 Pacific Northwest and Northwest Coast Native Americans ....................................................... 8 Native Americans in the Puget Sound Area ................................................................................ 9 Change in the Flow Pattern of the White River ........................................................................ 12 Language....................................................................................................................................... 13 Northwest Salish ....................................................................................................................... 13 Lushootseed ............................................................................................................................... 13 Written Form ............................................................................................................................. 15 Welcome .................................................................................................................................... 16 Modern Spoken Language ........................................................................................................ 16 Chinook ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Muckleshoot Tribe........................................................................................................................ 17 Muckleshoot Background .......................................................................................................... 17 Meaning of Muckleshoot ........................................................................................................... 19 Population ................................................................................................................................. 20 General Life Style ..................................................................................................................... 22 Muckleshoot People .................................................................................................................. 22 Muckleshoot Tribe Today ......................................................................................................... 23 Puyallup Tribe............................................................................................................................... 24 Puyallup Tribe Location ........................................................................................................... 24 Puyallup Historical Overview ................................................................................................... 24 Puyallup Tribe Today ............................................................................................................... 25 Food, the Reason for Coming to the Federal Way Area............................................................... 25 Food Sources in the Federal Way Area .................................................................................... 25 Clams ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Early Campground in the Federal Way Area ........................................................................... 27 Native American Use of 26225 Pacific Highway South Site ............................................... 27 Hudson’s Bay Company ....................................................................................................... 28 Jacob Reith’s Homestead...................................................................................................... 30 Shellfish Processing Site....................................................................................................... 30 Louis Starr Remembers Clam Digging................................................................................. 31 Fishing........................................................................................................................................... 32 Fishing Importance ................................................................................................................... 32 First Salmon Ceremony ............................................................................................................ 33 2 Native American Presence in the Federal Way Area Fishing Methods and Tools ....................................................................................................... 34 Fishing Rights ........................................................................................................................... 35 Hunting ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Plant Food ..................................................................................................................................... 37 Roots and Bulbs ........................................................................................................................ 37 Berries ....................................................................................................................................... 38 Nuts ........................................................................................................................................... 38 Potatoes ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Gathering....................................................................................................................................... 38 Archaeological Remains ............................................................................................................... 39 Artifact Definition ..................................................................................................................... 39 Stone Tools ................................................................................................................................ 39 Bones at Redondo Beach .......................................................................................................... 40 Stone Artifacts at Lakehaven Sewer Plant ................................................................................ 41 Stone Axe ................................................................................................................................... 42 Possible Ancient Artifacts in Thompson Park .......................................................................... 42 Shell Artifacts ............................................................................................................................ 43 Village Sites .............................................................................................................................. 44 Cedar............................................................................................................................................. 46 Importance of Cedar ................................................................................................................. 46 Properties of Cedar ................................................................................................................... 48 Cedar Withes for Rope .............................................................................................................. 48 Cedar Roots for Baskets ............................................................................................................ 48 Cedar Bark ................................................................................................................................ 49 Felling Trees ............................................................................................................................. 49 Canoe Making ........................................................................................................................... 50 Wood Carving ..........................................................................................................................