COVILLE TRIBES

THIS TRIBE IS LOCATED IN THE NORTH CENTRAL PART OF WASHINGTON. AND IS A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE. THE TRIBE WAS NAMED FOR ANDREW COLVILLE, A LONDON GOVERNOR OF HUDSON BAY COMPANY. THEY HAVE ABOUT 9000 PEOPLE FROM 12 ABORIGINAL TRIBES ON THE COLVILLE RESERVATION. THEIR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE IS COLVILLE - OKANAGAN. PRIOR TO THE 1850'S THE ANCESTORS OF THE 12 ABORIGINAL TRIBES FOLLOWED SEASONAL CYCLES FOR FOOD. THEY MOVED TO THE RIVERS FOR FISH RUNS, TO THE MOUNTAINS FOR BERRIES, DEER, OR PLATEAU FOR FOOD. THEIR TERRITORIES WERE GROUPS. MANY ANCESTORS RANGED THROUGHOUT THEIR ABORIGINAL TERRITORIES AND OTHER AREAS IN ORDER TO HARVEST FOODS, TRADE, HAVE FEASTS, AND CELEBRATIONS, THAT INCLUDED SPORTS AND GAMBLINGS. THEIR LIVES WERE TIED TO LARGE LAND SPIRITUALLY.

WHEN MINERS SETTLERS AND ANGLOS CAME IN 1850'S THE NATIVES MOVED WEST. TRADING WAS A BIG PART OF THEIR LIVES. FINALLY AN OWNERSHIP BEGAN BETWEEN THE U S AND BRITAIN OVER THE OREGON COUNTRY. BOTH CLAIMED THE TERRITORY UNTILL THE OREGON TREATY IN 1846 THAT ESTABLISHED AMERICAN TITLE TO LANDS SOUTH OF THE 49TH PARRALEL. THE INDIANS WERE NOT CONSIDERED CITIZENS AND WERE NOT ENTITLED TO LANDS.

PRESIDENT FILLMORE SIGNED A BILL CREATING WASHINGTON TERRITORY AND THE BIA REPRESENTATIVE (ISAAH STEVENS) WAS TO MEET WITH THE INDIANS. STEVEN'S REPORT RECOMMENDED RESERVATIONS SO THAT THE INDIANS DID NOT HAVE TO PURCHASE THEM. IN 1854 THE NEGOTIATIONS IN 1854 THE NEGOTIANS WERE CONDUCTED TOWARD CONCENTRATING THE INDIANS ON A FEW RESERVATIONS NATURALLY SUITED TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE INDIANS. THE YAKIMA WAR WAS FOUGHT FROM 1856 - 1859. IN 1865 NEGOTIATIONS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND A SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTED THAT THE INDIANS OCCUPY THE BEST AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND THEY CLAIM AN UNDISPUTED RIGHT TO THOSE LANDS. HE WANTED TO LIMIT THE AGRESSION OF THE WHITES AGAINST THE INDIANS.

IN 1872 PRESIDENT GRANT ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CREATE INDIAN RESERVATION WEST OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER AND REDUCE THEIR LAND TO SEVERAL MILLION ACRES. THE COLVILLE VALLEY, THE COLUMBIA, AND PEND D ORIELLE RIVERS WERE EXCLUDED . TWENTY YEARS LATER CONGRESS CEDED THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE RESERVATION AND THE GOVERNMENT PAID NATIVES $1 PER ACRE. LATER IN 1900OVER 1 MILLION ACRES WERE OPENED TO HOMESTEADING. IN 1914 THE SOUTH HALF OF THE RESERVATION WAS CEDED . CURRENTLY THE RESERVATION CONSISTS OF 2000 SQUARE MILES HELD IN FEDERAL TRUST STATUS.FOR CONFEDERATED TRIBES. THERE ARE ABOUT 7500 INDIANS HERE AND 50% LIVE ON OR ADJACENT TO THE RESERVATION. THE BIA EMPLOYS 800 - 1200 INDIVIDUALS IN PERMANENT, SEASONAL, AND PART TIME POSITIONS. EACH TOWN IN THE RESERVATION HAS ITS OWN SCHOOL.

THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF SPOKANE IS A PLACE TO HAVE AN OUTREACH CAMPUS BIG BEND COLLEGE IS IN GRAND COULEE; SPOKANE TRIBAL COLLEGE HAS A JOINT VENTURE AND WANATCHEE COLEGE IS IN OMAK, MANY STUDENTS ON THE RESERVATION ATTEND A 4 YEAR COLLEGE. THEY HAVE MANY LEGENDS AND MYTHS ABOUT COYOTE.





























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