SUQUAMISH TRIBE IN CANADA

THE SUQUAMISH TRIBE ARE A LUSHOOT SEED SPEAKING FOLK LIVING TRADITIONALLY ALONG THE KITSAP PENNISULA INCLUDING BLAKE'S ISLAND BY PUGET SOUND. MANY LIVE IN PORT MADISON INDIAN RESERVATION NEAR SUQUAMUSH. THE ANCESTRAL SUSQUAMISH HAVE LIVED IN CENTRAL PUGET SOUND FOR ABOUT 10,000 YEARS. THE MAJOR SUQUAMISH WINTER VILLAGE WAS ON THE SHORE OF AGATE PASSAGE. THEIR NAME MEANS "PEOPLE OF CLEAN SALT WATER". THESE PEOPLE DEPENDED UPON SALMON, COD, AND BOTTOM FISH, CLAMS, BERRIES, ROOTS, AND DUCKS AND LAND GAME. THEY HAD CEREMONIAL FEASTS. THEY DID NOT HAVE A MAJOR RIVER SO FOR SALMON THEY HAD TO TRAVEL TO A MAJOR RIVER SO FOR SALMON THEY HAD TO TRAVEL TO A MAJOR RIVER. THEY LIVED IN CEDAR PLANK HOUSES DURING THE WINTER. THE BEST KNOWN WINTER VILLAGE WAS AT OLD MAN HOUSE. THEY LEFT THESE HOUSES IN SPRING AND SUMMER BY CANOE TO GATHER PLANTS AND HUNT. THEY CREATED SEASONAL CAMPS. THESE WERE PORTABLE FRAMES OF TREE SAPLINGS COVERED WITH WOVEN CATTAIL MATS.

THE SUQUAMISH ARE WELL KNOWN FOR TRADIONAL BASKETRY. THEY MAKE HARD BASKETS FROM COILED CEDAR ROOTS. THESE WERE USED FOR GATHERING. THEY WERE WATER TIGHT AND WERE USED FOR COOKING. THEY WOULD HEAT STONES IN A FIRE PLACE AND THEN IN WATER FILLED BASKETS THEY WOULD MAKE SALMON AND WILD POTATOE SOUPS. THEY DECORATED THEIR BERRY BASKETS. THEY DECORATED THEIR BERRY BASKETS. THEY DECORATED BERRY BASKETS BY USING COLORED BARKS.

THEY TRAVELED IN DUGOUT CEDAR CANOES. THEY MADE THEM FROM CEDAR POLES. IT WAS FIRST CARVED AND THEN STEAMED AND SPREAD IT TO MAKE THE CANOE MORE BOUYANT AND FOR GREATER CARGO SPACE. THEY HAD A LARGE TRAIL NETWORK FROM THEIR VILLAGES TO CAMPING AREAS AND NEIGHBORS.

IN 1792 THEY WERE CONTACTED BY THE 1ST BRITISH CAPTAIN GEORGE VANCOUVER. HE TRADED WITH THEM. DURING THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS THEY ADAPTED TO CHANGES. FUR TRADERS, MISSIONARIES, AND SETTLERS FROM OREGON TRAIL CAME. BY 1850 THEIR TERRITORY WAS OPEN TO NONNATIVES BY THE CLAIM ACT. THE SUQUAMISH HELPED IN LOGGING INDUSTRY.

IN 1855 THEIR LEADERS AND CHIEF SEATTLE SIGNED THE TREATY OF POINT ELLIOT, GIVING UP THEIR TITLE TO LANDS. THEY DID RECEIVE A RESERVATION AT PORT WASHINGTON. AND HAVE 950 MEMBERS. THEIR CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO GO TO INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS FROM 1900 TO 1920. TODAY THEY ARE INVOLVED IN A CULTURAL RESERGENCE AND ARE PLANNING TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW COMMUNITY HOUSE. THEIR PROGRAM HAS 240 EMPLOYEES.

IN 2005 THEY ORGANIZED A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR TRIBAL PROJECTS. IN 1993 THEY BUILT THEIR FIRST MUSEUM WITH VOLUNTEERS. THEY HAVE COLLECTED 9500 BASKETS AND CULTURAL ITEMS FOR EXHIBITS. THEY ARE PLANNING A NEW MUSEUM AND A VISITOR CENTER.

SUQUAMISH.NSN.US



















SUQUAMIISH.NET