Swinomish (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Swinomish are an historically Lushootseed-speaking Native American tribe
in western Washington state in the United States
. The tribe lives in the southeastern part of Fidalgo Island
near the San Juan Islands
in Skagit County, Washington
. Skagit County is located about 70 miles (112.7 km) north of Seattle
. The federally recognized Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation or Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is headquartered in La Conner
.
resident population of 2,664 persons, with 23% being full-blood Native Americans.
The Swinomish moved onto reservation lands after the signing of the Point Elliott Treaty in 1855.
The Swinomish reservation is a confederation of several distinct tribes of Coast Salish
, including the Swinomish, Kikiallus, Lower Skagit
, Samish
, and even a few Sauk-Suiattle
. Some Samish tribal members have achieved legal re-recognition separately for the Samish Indian Nation on April 26, 1996 and its government offices are located nearby in Anacortes, Washington. The Kikiallus (Ki Ki Allus) were among the first inhabitants of Fir Island
, the Skagit River Delta and Valley and the adjacent coastline and islands. As a matter of record the chief of the tribe, John Lyons AKA (Chief Patch-Akadim ), gave a deposition for the Kikiallus tribe at Swinomish Indian Reservation on March 8, 1927. Chief Lyons is also known for his whimsical toy creations called "folk" Totem Toys. These toys feature mostly small boat like wooded carvings with totems or animals figure heads, brightly painted for sale to tourists. These toys are highly prized today by collectors and historians alike.
and collecting of shellfish. Their fishing rights were guaranteed by the Point Elliott Treaty.
, which employ 250 people.
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 in the southeastern part of Fidalgo Island
Fidalgo Island
Fidalgo Island is an island in Skagit County, Washington, located about north of Seattle. To the east, it is separated from the mainland by the Swinomish Channel, and from Whidbey Island to the south by Deception Pass...
near the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
in Skagit County, Washington
Skagit County, Washington
Skagit County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Skagit Indian tribe. As of 2010, the population was 116,901. It is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Skagit County is located about 70 miles (112.7 km) north of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The federally recognized Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation or Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is headquartered in La Conner
La Conner, Washington
La Conner is a town in Skagit County, Washington, United States with a population of 891 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the month of April, the town annually hosts the majority of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival...
.
Swinomish Indian Reservation
The Swinomish Indian Reservation, at 48°24′01"N 122°31′38"W, has a land area of 12.116 sq mi (31.381 km²) and a 2000 censusUnited 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...
resident population of 2,664 persons, with 23% being full-blood Native Americans.
The Swinomish moved onto reservation lands after the signing of the Point Elliott Treaty in 1855.
The Swinomish reservation is a confederation of several distinct tribes of Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
, including the Swinomish, Kikiallus, Lower Skagit
Lower Skagit (tribe)
The Lower Skagits are a tribe of the Lushootseed Native American people living in the state of Washington.-Pre-Contact:...
, Samish
Samish
The Samish are a Native American tribe who live in the U.S. state of Washington. The seat of their tribal government is in Anacortes. The Native American form of "Samish" is /sʔémǝš/, from /s–/, "nominalizer", /ʔé/, "be there", and /–mǝš/, "people".-Pre-Contact with Europeans:The Samish were less...
, and even a few Sauk-Suiattle
Sauk-Suiattle
Sauk-Suiattle, or Sah-Ku-Me-Hu, is a Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. The tribe originally lived along the banks of the Sauk, Suiattle, Cascade, Stillaguamish, and Skagit Rivers. The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Reservation is in this area, centered near Darrington,...
. Some Samish tribal members have achieved legal re-recognition separately for the Samish Indian Nation on April 26, 1996 and its government offices are located nearby in Anacortes, Washington. The Kikiallus (Ki Ki Allus) were among the first inhabitants of Fir Island
Fir Island (Washington)
Fir Island is bounded by North and South Forks of the Skagit River and Skagit Bay of Puget Sound in the southwestern corner of Skagit County, Washington. Triangular in outline, east–west by north–south with an area of nearly , Fir Island is occupied by 195 families...
, the Skagit River Delta and Valley and the adjacent coastline and islands. As a matter of record the chief of the tribe, John Lyons AKA (Chief Patch-Akadim ), gave a deposition for the Kikiallus tribe at Swinomish Indian Reservation on March 8, 1927. Chief Lyons is also known for his whimsical toy creations called "folk" Totem Toys. These toys feature mostly small boat like wooded carvings with totems or animals figure heads, brightly painted for sale to tourists. These toys are highly prized today by collectors and historians alike.
Culture
The lifestyle of the Swinomish, like many Northwest Coast tribes, involves the fishing of salmonSalmon
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...
and collecting of shellfish. Their fishing rights were guaranteed by the Point Elliott Treaty.
Economic development
The tribe owns and operates the Swinomish Casino, the Two Salmon Cafe, and the Starlight Lounge in Anacortes, WashingtonAnacortes, Washington
Anacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is a consolidation of the name Anna Curtis, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman. Anacortes' population was 15,778 at the time of the 2010 census...
, which employ 250 people.
External links
- Swinomish Indian Tribal Community homepage
- March Point (2008), a film about the Swinomish Reservation
- March Point page, from Independent Lens site