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Nisqually (tribe)
Encyclopedia
Nisqually is a Lushootseed Native American tribe
in western Washington state in the United States
. The tribe lives on a reservation in the Nisqually River
valley near the river delta. The Nisqually Indian Reservation, at 47°01′12"N 122°39′27"W, comprises 20.602 km² (7.955 sq mi) of land area on both sides of the river, in western Pierce County
and eastern Thurston County. In the 2000 census
it had a resident population of 588 persons, all in the Thurston County portion, on the southwest side of the Nisqually River.
The Nisqually is a subdialect of the Southern dialect of Lushootseed
, which belongs to the Salishan
family. The Nisqually called themselves the Squalli-Absh , which means "people of the grass country" in Lushootseed.
The tribe moved onto their reservation east of Olympia, Washington
in late 1854 with the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty
. As reaction to the unfairness of the treaty, many members of the tribe led by Chief Leschi
engaged and were eventually defeated by the US Army in the conflict known as the Puget Sound War
in 1855-56.
The Nisqually Indians originally inhabited the interior woodlands and coastal waters from Mount Rainier
west to Puget Sound
. The lifestyle of the Nisqually, like many other Northwest Coastal tribes, revolved around fishing for salmon
. In 1917, Pierce County, through the process of condemnation proceedings (eminent domain
), took 3,370 acres (14 km²) for the Fort Lewis
Military Reserve.
The Nisqually people have lived in the watershed for thousands of years. According to legend, the Squalli-absch (ancestors of the modern Nisqually Indian Tribe), came north from the Great Basin, crossed the Cascade Mountain Range and erected their first village in a basin now known as Skate Creek, just outside the Nisqually River Watershed's southern boundary. Later, a major village would be located near the Mashel River.
The Nisqually have always been a fishing people. The salmon has not only been the mainstay of their diet, but the foundation of their culture as well. The Nisqually Tribe is the prime steward of the Nisqually River fisheries resources, and operate two fish hatcheries: one on Clear Creek and one on Kalama Creek.
The Nisqually Tribe is located on the Nisqually River in rural Thurston County, 15 miles (24 km) east of Olympia, Washington. As of the year 2005, the Tribe had a service area population of 5,719 Native Americans, 600 of whom reside on the reservation. An additional 5,119 service population members live off the reservation in Thurston and Pierce Counties. Tribal land holdings, on and near the Nisqually reservation, exceed 1,000 acres (4 km²) -- all of which has been reacquired in the past 25 years.
The original reservation was established by the Medicine Creek Treaty of December 26, 1854. The reservation consisted of 1,280 acres (5.2 km²) on Puget Sound. On January 20, 1856 an executive order enlarged it to 4,717 acres (19.1 km²) on both sides of the Nisqually River.
On September 30, 1884 land was set aside and divided into 1 family allotments on both sides of the Nisqually River. The land didn't include the river. The people lived in peace for a while harvesting fish from the River and growing potatoes on the prairie tracts.
They also received few government rations. In the winter of 1917 the U.S. Army moved onto Nisqually lands and ordered them from their homes without any warning. Later, the Army condemned 3,353 acres (13.6 km²) of their land to expand the Fort Lewis base.
One of the four North Thurston Public Schools
middle schools is named for the tribe.
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
in western Washington state in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The tribe lives on a reservation in the Nisqually River
Nisqually River
The Nisqually River is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Cascade Range southwest of Tacoma, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound....
valley near the river delta. The Nisqually Indian Reservation, at 47°01′12"N 122°39′27"W, comprises 20.602 km² (7.955 sq mi) of land area on both sides of the river, in western Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
and eastern Thurston County. In the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
it had a resident population of 588 persons, all in the Thurston County portion, on the southwest side of the Nisqually River.
The Nisqually is a subdialect of the Southern dialect of Lushootseed
Lushootseed
Lushootseed is the language or dialect continuum of several SalishNative American groups of modern-day Washington state...
, which belongs to the Salishan
Salishan languages
The Salishan languages are a group of languages of the Pacific Northwest...
family. The Nisqually called themselves the Squalli-Absh , which means "people of the grass country" in Lushootseed.
The tribe moved onto their reservation east of Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
in late 1854 with the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty
Treaty of Medicine Creek
The Treaty of Medicine Creek was an 1854 treaty between the United States, and the Nisqually, Puyallup and Squaxin Island tribes, along with six other smaller Native American tribes.-Site:...
. As reaction to the unfairness of the treaty, many members of the tribe led by Chief Leschi
Chief Leschi
Chief Leschi was chief of the Nisqually Native American tribe. He was hanged for murder in 1858, but exonerated in 2004.-Life:...
engaged and were eventually defeated by the US Army in the conflict known as the Puget Sound War
Puget Sound War
The Puget Sound War was an armed conflict that took place in the Puget Sound area of the state of Washington in 1855–56, between the United States Military, local militias and members of the Native American tribes of the Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, and Klickitat...
in 1855-56.
The Nisqually Indians originally inhabited the interior woodlands and coastal waters from Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
west to Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
. The lifestyle of the Nisqually, like many other Northwest Coastal tribes, revolved around fishing for salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
. In 1917, Pierce County, through the process of condemnation proceedings (eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
), took 3,370 acres (14 km²) for the Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
Military Reserve.
History
The Nisqually have always been a fishing people. The salmon has not only been the mainstay of their diet, but the foundation of their culture as well. The Nisqually Tribe is the prime steward of the Nisqually River fisheries resources, and operate two fish hatcheries: one on Clear Creek and one on Kalama Creek.
The Nisqually Tribe is located on the Nisqually River in rural Thurston County, 15 miles (24 km) east of Olympia, Washington. As of the year 2005, the Tribe had a service area population of 5,719 Native Americans, 600 of whom reside on the reservation. An additional 5,119 service population members live off the reservation in Thurston and Pierce Counties. Tribal land holdings, on and near the Nisqually reservation, exceed 1,000 acres (4 km²) -- all of which has been reacquired in the past 25 years.
The original reservation was established by the Medicine Creek Treaty of December 26, 1854. The reservation consisted of 1,280 acres (5.2 km²) on Puget Sound. On January 20, 1856 an executive order enlarged it to 4,717 acres (19.1 km²) on both sides of the Nisqually River.
On September 30, 1884 land was set aside and divided into 1 family allotments on both sides of the Nisqually River. The land didn't include the river. The people lived in peace for a while harvesting fish from the River and growing potatoes on the prairie tracts.
They also received few government rations. In the winter of 1917 the U.S. Army moved onto Nisqually lands and ordered them from their homes without any warning. Later, the Army condemned 3,353 acres (13.6 km²) of their land to expand the Fort Lewis base.
Government
On September 9, 1946, the Tribe's constitution and bylaws were approved. The constitution was amended in 1994. The governing body of the Tribe is the General Council comprising all enrolled tribal members 18 years of age or older. The day-to-day business and economic affairs of the Tribe are overseen by a tribal council composed of seven tribal members elected by the tribe’s voting membership.One of the four North Thurston Public Schools
North Thurston Public Schools
North Thurston Public Schools, District No. 3 is a school district, providing educational services for Lacey and parts of unincorporated Thurston County, Washington, including students from the Nisqually Tribe Reservation...
middle schools is named for the tribe.
Notable Nisqually
- Billy Frank, Jr.Billy Frank, jr.Billy Frank, Jr. is a Native American environmental leader and treaty rights activist born in 1931 to the Willie and Angeline Frank. A Nisqually tribal member, Frank is known specifically for his grassroots campaign for fishing rights on the tribe’s Nisqually River, located in Washington state in...
, environmental leader and treaty rights activist - Chief LeschiChief LeschiChief Leschi was chief of the Nisqually Native American tribe. He was hanged for murder in 1858, but exonerated in 2004.-Life:...
(1808–1858), chief
External links
- Nisqually Indian Tribe, official website
- Nisqually Indian Tribe
- Nisqually Indian Tribe
- Red Wind Casino