Memory of Stone by Roger Fernandes tells of the Changer bringing the dog salmon at http://www.indian-ed.org/resources/roger-fernandes-storytelling/ . In the summer, potlatches were celebrated. They sit The game is over when one team has lost all of until it fell, becoming a stone outcropping which still stands near the town of North Bend. The Coast Salish people, themselves have stories of creation and how they came to be. Legend: The Pacific Northwest Coast people believed that Salmon were actually humans with eternal life how lived in a large house far under the ocean. The objective is to guess in which hand the plain bone is hidden. the new, the Native and the American. What were some of the ways that a Lushootseed person in 1900 might pursue personal spiritual power? There are ten These ceremonies were held for a number of different reasons  such as, elevating ones status by the amount of wealth he/she distributes. is only spoken fluently by a few elders, and Huchoosedah competes against television, pop music, and shopping malls. that the Coast Salish lived here at least to 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. In the fall, a number of these same ceremonies would occur after harvesting, hunting, and fishing were over for the year. around the shores of Puget Sound. Cecilia Svinth Carpenter, Where the Waters Begin: The Traditional Nisqually Indian History of Mount Rainier (Seattle: Northwest Interpretive Association, 1994). J. Why? in Law & Diversity from Fairhaven College, the interdisciplinary wing of Western Washington University. So, that is how I found The house was the center of Lushootseed community. The story of Native American history in Puget Sound is one of trauma, transformation, and tradition. Also in the winter another form of ceremonies were conducted, the initiation of spirit dances. Cal ; 18. The Coast Salish were the most numerous of all the Northwest Coast Tribes. Meanwhile, poverty, disease, and loss of land to non-Indians made life on the reservations frustrating and often miserable. Hermann Haeberlin and Erna Gunther, The Indians of Puget Sound (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1985). ripened on upland slopes. What are some of the possible interpretations and teachings of the story of the Star Child, based on your personal reading of it? In the Star Child story of the Snoqualmie people, for example, two sisters camped in a prairie to dig the bulbs of the camas plant. spirit powers through expressive movements and songs. These fine arts drew on the spiritual powers of their makers and were expressions of discipline, expertise, spirit power, and good taste. The Europeans thought that the First Nations people worshipped the devil. are still working for federal recognition, which would give them access to treaty rights. From archaeological sites, scientists know that Native Americans have lived around Puget Sound for over 10,000 years, arriving just ". In British Columbia alone, the population census of 1835 placed their numbers at 12,000. Lushootseed Today, there are nineteen (19) different Puget Salish tribes. House posts were created for significant or special events, such as a potlatch or a completion of a longhouse. Upon their return, But a renaissance is taking place in Lushootseed country. After the women gathered, and prepared the hair they spun it on a spindle whorl. on returning home met for the first time his younger brother, Sun. By this regime I was trained. Huchoosedah. This is the one the Cowichan tell. It would have to be enough to satisfy my A house's frame was seen as a body on its hands and knees, with the front of the house being called the face. Far from Huchoosedah. Well, they'll all go home. Coast Salish People were innovative people in that they used both plant and animal for clothing. Nothing was allowed to scare me. resources, traditions, and ways of life. Missionaries and government agents outlawed many of the ceremonies, and forced children to attend boarding schools where they were encouraged to forget their Huchoosedah. The 155 stories represent Upper Chehalis and Cowlitz Salish narrative traditions, primarily myths and tales, and constitute the largest published body of oral literature for either of these groups. the resource. families to mark an important occasion like a birth or death, to compete for social status, and to take responsibility for the well being Katie Jennings, director, Huchoosedah: Traditions of the Heart (video recording) (Seattle: KCTS-9 and BBC Wales, 1995). Gram Ruth Sehome Shelton, Huchoosedah Siastenu: The Wisdom of a Tulalip Edler (Seattle: Lushootseed Press, 1995). Lushootseed territories covered a large part of what is now western Washington, from near present-day Bellingham south to the state Most Men began hunting deer and elk, while women gathered Along the way, his powers as Transformer changed the world. He did all this and more, and When the West Wind blew, I was told, "Take off your clothes and run (as Robin K. Wright, editor, A Time of Gathering: Native Heritage in Washington State (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1991). The Coast Salish gathered tufts of hair from mountain goats, and they also bred a breed of dog that had similar hair quality of the mountain goat. important traditions for maintaining these connections was the Sgwigwi, a word that simply means "inviting," and corresponds to appeared in the forests, while tiger lilies and wild carrots provided roots from beds passed on from mother to daughter. As summer I removed my skirt, placed it beside the river, weighted it down with a rock, and I swam out into the current, away from shore. A Salish Coyote Story: Beaver Steals Fire. This will be the pot that the winning side "Some Tales of the Puget Sound Salish" Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest. divides at the end of the game. Still, perceptive treaty signers like Chief Seattle of the Duwamish and Suquamish laid the foundations that year for the rights of future One day, the Killer Whale swam into the bay and the Salmon were frightened away. Surrey, B.C. ISBN# 0-8061-0701-4, LC# 66-13421 {Illustration Graphics} Giants and Tree Men. The history of the Coast Salish peoples is united by shared cultural traditions, kinship ties and related languages that connected this large group of indigenous peoples on the Pacific Northwest Coast, and connecting interior regions, going back several thousand years. The house post depicted in the photo, by Brent Sparrow Jr., is of a double headed serpent. to collect the wealth of land, sea, and river. Courtesy of Howard E Grant. Lushootseed, or the power of Huchoosedah in shaping lives. Historically, the Coast Salish has used an oral account that traces their connections from one family or community to another. Coast Salish territory covers the coast of British Columbia and Washington state. Giants were formerly common in Coeur d'Alene country. bulbs that grew there and to keep the forest at bay. capital of Olympia, and from the Cascade Mountains west to Hood Canal. the tally sticks to the other side. One prominent Coast Salish legend tells of the Salish people’s great dependence on the Salmon. end of it. A man with Woodpecker or Cedar power might work as a is marked with...black bands around it and one is plain. In late January, they gathered along riverbanks for the first runs of spring salmon, and The Coast Salish people lived in harmony with a once-fearsome killer that, they would learn through careful observation, was very much dependant on their clans for survival, much like humanity itself. Examples such as the First Salmon Ceremony and the Tale of the Salmon Woman have been passed down from generation to generation, highlighting the importance of fish to their culture and economy. It first appeared in 1911, now available online from UPenn Digital Library. both as human limbs and as pillars supporting the sky. The number of spirit powers in the world is limitless. The What time of year do the ceremonies most often take place? neighboring communities, found space where they could. Rarely offered explicitly, these lessons were hidden within the story, to be discovered by the listener. That's the way the old people was. themselves by town instead of by a tribe with a formal political leader, some communities were left out of the negotiations entirely. had their fire in a front corner away from doorway drafts. To decide which team starts the game, the leader who guesses the plain unmarked bone twice wins the kick stick for his team. One of the earliest legends in the history of the Cowichan Indian Tribes is the legend of the Thunderbird and Orca. usually sat in the direction of their home, making the Slahal field or the interior of a house a "map" of the larger world. comments in parentheses from Gweqwultsah's son Martin Sampson: My father made life very arduous for me because he was an Indian Doctor. Lushootseed origin stories also place the creation of their world far in the past, when the world was in flux. Years later, Moon returned to his mother's people. Deer. Coast Salish women wore a fringed skirt of shredded cedar bark or of rushes fastened at the waist. Beyond providing food, the landscape supported the rich Lushootseed material culture. progressed, runs of dog, silver, and king salmon crowded into the rivers to be caught by the thousands, while tart huckleberries legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other. The ceremony of the Power Boards used carved and painted plaques to elsewhere in North America, the settlers called for treaties to extinguish Native title to the land, and in 1855, Washington Territorial Salish Myths and Legends features an array of Trickster stories centered on Coyote, Mink, and other memorable characters, as well as stories of the frightening Basket Ogress, accounts of otherworldly journeys, classic epic cycles such as South Wind’s Journeys and the Bluejay Cycle, tales of such legendary animals as Beaver and Lady Louse from the beginning of time, and stories that explain why … So that is what I did. Cause everything was Double Headed Serpent by Brent Sparrow Jr. isolated, these towns were linked through trade and marriage to other communities in Lushootseed territory and beyond. fireweed fluff to weave elegant blankets. Why do you think the Lushootseed peoples have often been ignored by anthropologists and popular culture, especially when compared to "totem pole cultures" or "tipi cultures". As payments and benefits guaranteed in treaties were delayed or forgotten, armed conflict erupted. families, each with their own fire hearth sending smoke up a hole in the roof. These summer potlatches were to  celebrate marriages, memorials, coming of age, birth of a child, raising of a house post or construction of a longhouse. Capes were also made of cedar or bull rushes, these capes were ideal protection from the water and rain. the landscape. Life along the Cowichan River was one of plenty and good fortune for the Cowichan People. One of the largest midden sites is found in Vancouver in the Marpole area. His work has appeared in the Western Historical Quarterly, Pacific Northwest Forum, and Writing the Range: Race, Class, and Culture in the Women's West. economy, with fishing, carpentry, logging, canoe ferrying, agricultural work, and basket making providing income for their families. The late 19th and early 20th centuries were difficult times for Lushootseed people. The way Lushootseed people talked about their houses revealed Also in the summer time, gaming events, such as, slahal (bone/stick games) were played. violent action against settlers, who they perceived as invaders, while settlers retaliated against Indians in their own, often lethal, Create free account to access unlimited books, fast download and ads free! to this potlatch to feed the people. Coast Salish trade beads discovered at the Marpole Midden Site. innumerable ways since the arrival of whites and other immigrants on these shores, yet those changes have not erased what it means to be See products with The Spirit Bear symbology . The newcomers also brought with them diseases like smallpox and measles, which swept through Lushootseed towns, sometimes killing The Spirit Bear or Kermode Bear is a rare form of black bear with a recessive gene that results in a white pelt of fur. Coll is currently a doctoral student in the Department of History at the University of Washington, where he is writing a dissertation on narratives of urban history and Indian history in the city of Seattle. While weirs and other fishing technologies were designed to maximize the number of salmon caught, Lushootseed people knew to manage a woman, you shall become an Indian Doctor (in keeping with the prominence of your family ancestors). You need only to keep on your small undergarment. Columbia Plateau. In a number of written materials, they suggest that there is a strong cultural link between the Coast and Interior Salish people. The core of these traditions is Huchoosedah, a term meaning cultural knowledge and knowledge of self. (See also: "Seattle's First Taste of Battle, 1856", PNQ 47:1-8.) Digging in the Sky World's prairies, they broke through the ground and saw "The Northwest Coastal People - Religion / Ceremonies / Art / Clothing. camas and clams from prairies and beaches owned by important families. These house posts had personal meaning to an individual or family. Whether playing Slahal, participating in Sgwigwi, or taking part in other public events, guests (See also:"The Indian Treaty of Point No Point", PNQ 46:52-58.) Sometimes, this new work was an extension of skills provided by the spirits. Each side chooses a leader. "Adze, canoe, and house types of the Northwest coast".) Instead, it means building new traditions to ensure the continuity of the community. Also, dried salmon would be cut off and measured (along my throat). American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection, Making the World as It Is: The Transformer Stories, Figures in the Landscape: Spirit Powers and Religious Traditions, Circling through the Seasons: Gathering Wealth from Land, River, and Sea, Weaving a Life Together: Body, House, Community, Cosmos, The World Changes: The Coming of Europeans and Americans, Into the 21st Century: Survival and Adaptation, "Snoqualmie-Duwamish Dialects of Puget Sound Salish", "Adze, canoe, and house types of the Northwest coast", "The Dog's Hair Blankets of the Coast Salish", "A Further Analysis of the First Salmon Ceremony", "Slavery Among the Indians of Northwest America", PNQ 9:277-283, "Vancouver and the Indians of Puget Sound", PNQ 51:1-12, "Notes and Documents: Defending Puget Sound against the Northern Indians", PNQ 36:69-78. Seated at my feet he listened as I told him of the powers that were given to each creature. The song is accompanied by a drumbeat. It would be measured according to how long my throat was. "Chief Seattle and Chief Joseph: From Indians to Icons".). In fact, this Indian Legends from the Northern Rockies: Anthology of folklore from the … In this essay, they are called the Lushootseed peoples. Europeans began arriving in Puget Sound in 1792, when British explorer George Vancouver sailed into the inland sea looking for a water Puget Salish People of Washington The Puget Salish are the Native Americans whose ancestral home is located along the shores of Puget Sound. The row of willow sticks was fastened to the tripods, which were held together by a long pole. They form the heart of given to me, a small portion. Men with woodworking spirits used cedar to create Sgwigwi also provided an opportunity to participate in Slahal, the Bone Game. "Mythology of Southern Puget Sound".) They left enough salmon to spawn, and ceremonies like the First Salmon, in which the bones of the first fish caught were Jay Miller, Lushootseed Culture and the Shamanic Odyssey: An Anchored Radiance (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1999). George Pierre Castile, editor, The Indians of Puget Sound: The Notebooks of Myron Eels (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1985). Storytelling was an essential part of … Soon, the older sister had a son, the Star Today, many artists retell these stories through their art. In particular, though these legends come from the Lushootseed-speaking Puget Sound Salish tribes (such as the Skagit, Tulalip, and Snoqualmie tribes,) the traditional stories of other When the during two centuries of great change. The story of Star Child or Moon the Transformer, passed down through elite Snoqualmie families, would take hours to tell in its He came across a man plotting to kill him, and turned the man into Indian communities in Puget Sound have used their political savvy to demand renaissance has been made possible in part by such new things as telephones, highways, and corporations. younger generations as a link between the past and the future. stomach. He is usually the owner of the two pairs of deer bones that are used in the game. The Spirit Canoe ceremony, in which doctors from several communities came together to Gweqwultsah, or Aunt Susie Sampson Peter, received her power in It is stated that the Coast Salish arrived not much before the Europeans came which is incorrect. The Native Americans of Puget Sound have been known as Puget Salish and Southern Coast Salish, and by various spellings of tribes and Far from "noble savages" leaving no trace on the "wilderness," Lushootseed people were environmental Today, there are nine reservations in Puget Sound country. It was then dyed and the women started to create their art form on a simple loom. Sticks are pounded He then returned to the water, ensured good relations between the Human People and the Salmon People. The Europeans tried to Christianize the Coast Salish people unaware of their spiritual traditions. The Coast Salish-speaking peoples have lived in what is present-day western Washington and southwestern British Columbia for more than 10,000 years. these connections. the more familiar term potlatch, in which wealthy people displayed their social status by sharing their wealth with others. (See also: "A Shaman-killing Case on Puget Sound, 1873-1874: American Law and Salish Culture", PNQ 86:17-23.) In the summertime, the ceremonies were mostly held in open fields and in the fall and winter they were held in the longhouses. Susie Sampson Peter, Huchoosedah Gweqwultsah: The Wisdom of a Skagit Elder (Seattle: Lushootseed Press, 1995). Crisca Bierwert, Brushed by Cedar, Living by the River: Coast Salish Figures of Power (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1999). Some are called career spirits, since they help with everyday work. Laal'a'ma'thut - care and concern. Indeed, the spirit powers were forces to be reckoned with. Duck, for example, help in hunting, while others support the making of baskets or assist in gambling. The people who want to play this game line up in teams facing each other. Before the game begins, each side collects and records money in equal amounts for each side. From south to north, they are the Squaxin, Nisqually, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, SPIRIT BEAR – PEACE, HARMONY & REMEMBRANCE. survival does not mean living in the past. were ways to set the world right. Maybe I was ten years old at By 1915, their low year, the usual plagues and diseases brought about by the coming of the Europeans had reduced the population to only 4,120. this particular power which always helps me, even as I grow older. Loon and Grizzly were among the As This essay views Lushootseed culture through the lens of Huchoosedah, which has been an anchor for Native people in Puget Sound country Gram Ruth Sehome Shelton or Siastenu, a Tulalip elder, recalled the Sgwigwi in a 1950s interview: They used to give potlatch every fall when there's plenty of everything. Coast Salish culture and traditional knowledge survive through oral histories. Together, they decided how to light the world, and the people were I did not pout or fuss The Lushootseed language There is. By May, How did Lushootseed people shape their landscape? Fur traders came over the next several decades, bringing with them new trade goods which were incorporated into day-to-day Lushootseed Economic and educational opportunities on reservations are few, while Native people living Never once did I come crying to my mother. (See also: "Snoqualmie-Duwamish Dialects of Puget Sound Salish".). evidence that  indicates (house posts, midden sites containing shells, artifacts, etc.) I did not balk. "Vancouver and the Indians of Puget Sound", PNQ 51:1-12.) Click Get Books and find your favorite books in the online library. Lastly, throughout the year, cultural funeral ceremonies are conducted. Meanwhile, Treaty Day festivals, canoe races (See also: "The Great Race of 1941: A Coast Salish Public Relations Coup", PNQ 89:127-133,) and Indian baseball leagues provided opportunities for Lushootseed people to maintain community, participate in traditional life, and present a positive image to their non-Indian neighbors. According to their own traditions, the Coast Salish people have lived on their land and waters from time immemorial. Eighty years later, she told her story, which was translated by Upper Skagit elder Vi (Taqsheblu) Hilbert and includes Salish Legends Media is a dynamic team that offers photography and video production services, and can take your project from imagined to reality! cultures" of the Great Plains. Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest: Collection of legends and folktales from the Spokane Salish and other northwestern tribes.