Swinomish people
swədəbš | |
|---|---|
_man_of_the_Swinomish_Reservation_-_Photo_by_O.J._Wingren.,_La_Conner,_Wash._LCCN2015645623_(cropped).jpg) Dr. Joe,[1] a Swinomish doctor, c. 1907 | |
| Total population | |
| approx. 1,439[2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Fidalgo Island, Skagit County | |
| Languages | |
| English, historically Lushootseed | |
| Religion | |
| Indigenous folk religion, Christianity, incl. syncretic forms | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Lushootseed-speaking peoples, esp. the Squinamish, Lower Skagit, and Kikiallus peoples |
Te
Lifestyle
[edit]The lifestyle of the Swinomish, like other Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast, is highly reliant on the usage of marine resources, such as salmon fishing and shellfish gathering. They reserved the right to fish and harvest in their usual and accustomed areas in the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855.[3] The Swinomish are highly reliant on their marine resources. In pre-colonial times, as much as 70% percent of their food came from marine resources.[4] The traditional fishing methods of the Swinomish included using traps that led fish from deep water into the shallows where they could be easily collected. This kind of trap was used by the Swinomish at Dugualla Bay, Turner Bay, along the North Fork of the Skagit River, and all along the Swinomish Channel.[5]
Today, the Swinomish continue to be involved heavily in the fishing industry. Although some usage of traditional fishing methods continues, the majority of fishing is commercial. Through the Swinomish Tribe, they have been engaged in conflicts with the federal government over fishing rights. Most Swinomish are dependent on fishing, farm labor, or lumbering as income. Others make their income as craftspeople, selling Native arts and crafts.[6]
The Swinomish traditionally used clam gardens to farm clams. In 2022, the Swinomish Tribe built the first clam garden in the United States in 200 years.[7]
The Swinomish also traditionally gathered berries and roots, and, after the introduction of potatoes, they became part of the Swinomish diet.[4]
In pre-colonial times, the Swinomish were semi-migratory. In the summer, Swinomish people travelled to fishing and gathering sites near their villages.[4]
By 1883, much of the population of the Swinomish Reservation had turned to logging, milling, and farming. Around three-fourths had made the switch, with the remainder still living engaged in traditional subsistence patterns.[8]
The primary watergoing vessel for much of Swinomish history has been the canoe. Although modern motorized watercraft are the mainly utilized vehicle now, canoes still carry a high degree of cultural significance and are used at cultural events.[citation needed] The Swinomish canoes are similar to those of other Coast Salish peoples. Saltwater canoes are traditionally decorated at the prow and can be up to fifty feet long.[9]
Religion
[edit]After colonization, many Swinomish converted to Christianity. One of the prominent denominations of the Swinomish was historically the Indian Shaker Church. A Shaker church was built on the Swinomish Reservation in 1939, but individuals practiced privately in their homes since 1910. Protestantism was introduced to the Swinomish in 1894 after the establishment of the Swinomish Day School, a boarding school operated by the federal government.[10]
Today, most members of the Swinomish Tribe are Catholic.[6]
Language
[edit]The language of the Swinomish is Lushootseed.[4] Historically, the language has also been knowwn as "Skagit." According to their tradition, their language originated with the Kikiallus, from whence the Swinomish and other Skagit-speaking peoples migrated.[11]
In historic times, many also spoke Chinook Jargon, a trade language used for communication between settlers and Indigenous peoples in the 19th century.[11]
The Swinomish people speak a subdialect of the Northern dialect of the Lushootseed language.[12]
Society
[edit]Pre-colonial society
[edit]Traditional Swinomish society was organized on the village and family level. Each village was composed of several families and their leaders, who had a certain standing among others of the village due to their material wealth and social prestige. However, none of these important members of a village had complete control over the rest of the village.[4]
Notable Swinomish
[edit]- Brian Cladoosby, former chairman of the Swinomish Tribe and 21st president of the National Congress of American Indians.[13]
- Matika Wilbur, Tulalip citizen, educator, and photographer[14]
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A skate from the Swinomish fishtrap, Tulalip Indian Agency, Washington, 1938
References
[edit]- ^ Sampson 1972, p. 11.
- ^ "Community". Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Mapes, Linda V. (April 19, 2007). "Swinomish are told to restrict shellfish". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Ruby, Brown & Collins 1990, p. 332.
- ^ Sampson 1972, p. 28.
- ^ a b Ruby, Brown & Collins 2010, p. 335.
- ^ Ryan, John (September 3, 2022). "Swinomish Tribe builds modern clam garden, reviving practice". AP News. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ Ruby, Brown & Collins 2010, p. 333.
- ^ Sampson 1972, p. 2.
- ^ Sampson 1972, p. 16-18.
- ^ a b Sampson 1972, p. 4.
- ^ Lushootseed Language (Whulshootseed, Puget Sound Salish). Native Languages of the Americas. (retrieved July 28, 2009)
- ^ "NCAI Leadership | NCAI".
- ^ "Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip)". Photoville Festival. Photoville. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bates, Dawn; Hess, Thom; Hilbert, Vi (1994). Lushootseed Dictionary. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-97323-4. OCLC 29877333.
- Hilbert, Vi; Miller, Jay; Zahir, Zalmai (2001). sdaʔdaʔ gʷəɬ dibəɬ ləšucid ʔacaciɬtalbixʷ - Puget Sound Geography. Original Manuscript from T.T. Waterman. Lushootseed Press. ISBN 979-8750945764.
- Sampson, Martin J. (1972). Indians of Skagit County (3rd ed.). Mount Vernon: Skagit County Historical Society.
- Suttles, Wayne; Lane, Barbara (1990). Southern Coast Salish. Handbook of North American Indians. Vol. 7. Smithsonian Institution. pp. 485–502. ISBN 0-16-020390-2.
- Ruby, Robert H.; Brown, John A.; Collins, Cary C. (2010). A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Civilization of the American Indian. Vol. 173 (3rd ed.). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 9780806124797.
External links
[edit]- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Media related to Swinomish people at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- March Point (2008), a film about the Swinomish Reservation
- March Point page, from Independent Lens site
- "Swinomish Indian Tribe", a brief history at u-s-history.com
Lushootseed-speaking peoples of Puget Sound | ||||||
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| Lushootseed language |
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| Federally recognized tribes | ||||||
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Municipalities and communities of Skagit County, Washington, United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
48°24′05″N 122°31′37″W / 48.4014°N 122.5270°W
| International | |
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| National | |
