November is National Native American Heritage Month and November 24 is Native American Heritage Day.
The land which is now Thurston County is part of both the lands and tribes under the Treaty of Medicine Creek, and also the Chehalis, Cowlitz, Klatsop, Chinook, Klikitat and other tribes Relinquishment, Executive order, July 8, 1864.
In President Joe Biden’s proclamation, he said “During National Native American Heritage Month, we recognize the invaluable contributions of Native peoples that have shaped our country and honor the hundreds of Tribal Nations who continue exercising their inherent sovereignty as vital members of the overlapping system of governments in the United States. We also recommit to supporting Tribal sovereignty; upholding the Federal Government's solemn trust and treaty responsibilities; and working in partnership with Tribal Nations to advance prosperity, dignity, and safety for all Native peoples.”
“Since time immemorial, Native communities have passed down rich cultures, knowledge, traditions, and ways of life. But throughout our history, Native peoples' cultures, identities, and governments were not always seen as a part of this Nation but as a threat to it. Native people were pressured to assimilate, banned from practicing their traditions and sacred ceremonies, and forced from their homes and ancestral homelands. This violence and devastation cost countless lives, tore families apart, and caused lasting damage to Tribal communities and institutions.”
“Despite centuries of violence and oppression, Native peoples remain resilient and proud. Today, Native Americans are essential to the fabric of the United States. They serve in the United States Armed Forces at higher rates than any other ethnic group. They continue to steward so many of our great lands. Their contributions to science, humanities, arts, public service, and more have brought prosperity for all of us. Their diverse cultures and communities continue to thrive and lead us forward.”
To continue to read more on Proclamation 10667—National Native American Heritage Month, 2023, click here.
“Tribes are sovereign nations, and each Tribe has its own government with its own governing charter or constitution and set of general laws,” states the Puget Sound Regional Council.
Inside Thurston County, is the reservation of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, People of the river, people of the grass.
On the Nisqually Indian Tribe website history page, the tribe shares, “For 10,000 years the Nisqually Tribe lived in relative peace and prosperity in its aboriginal homeland of about 2 million acres near the present-day towns of Olympia, Tenino, and Dupont, and extending to Mount Rainier. Tribal life changed radically with the advent of Euro-American settlement about 150 years ago. Forced to compromise its interests and rights over the years, the Tribe has always sought to maintain its integrity and dignity.”
The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation cover different tribes and lands, including some areas of Thurston County.
From the website of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, “people of the sand”:
“For many centuries, two large groups of Salish-speaking people lived along the Chehalis River. They lived in cedar longhouses with one end open to the water from which they received a bounty of salmon and other river-based sustenance.”
“These two groups were the Upper and Lower Chehalis, and they thrived for a long time, until the encroachment of white settlers forced them to give up their ancestral lands. Rejecting the unacceptable terms of the treaties offered by the US Government, the Chehalis were regarded as a “non-treaty” tribe. This meant financial aid from the government would be limited and unpredictable.”
“Despite these challenges, the Chehalis people have endured through self-reliance and determination. Today, the Tribe operates thriving enterprises such as the Lucky Eagle Casino and Eagles Landing Hotel, and has recently built new community and wellness centers that have dramatically enhanced the quality of life for our people.”
The Squaxin Island Tribe, “people of the water.”
“We are descendants of the maritime people who lived along the shores and watersheds of the seven southernmost inlets of Puget Sound for many thousands of years. Our culture is still very much connected to this aquatic environment.”
“It is important to understand the longstanding history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgments do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation,” a quote on the website Native Governance Center on Land acknowledgments attributed to Northwestern University.
North Thurston Public Schools Land Acknowledgement:
“We acknowledge that North Thurston Public Schools resides on the traditional lands of the Nisqually people. The Nisqually have lived on and cared for this land and these waterways since time immemorial. We make this acknowledgment to open a space of recognition, inclusion, and respect for our sovereign tribal partners and all indigenous students, families, and staff in our community.”
Where Evergreen College now sits, the school acknowledges the grounds as being on the Squaxin Island Tribes lands.
“The Squaxin Island Tribe’s habitation of the land on and around the inlets of the Southern Salish Sea, including what is now the City of Olympia and here at The Evergreen State College spans thousands of years. The ancestral families who lived and thrived here: They named Budd Inlet Steh-Chass, and they named Eld Inlet where the campus is located Squi’Aitle. Today, the Squaxin Island Tribe continues to live on and steward the lands and waters of the Southern Salish Sea.”
We also gratefully acknowledge the Puyallup Tribe whose traditional lands Evergreen’s Tacoma Campus is located upon.
We respect and acknowledge the Squaxin Island and Puyallup tribes, and other Tribes across the Americas, and their many contributions to The Evergreen State College (in support of education, tribal sovereignty, environmental stewardship). This acknowledgement is one small step toward respect and collaboration with the aim of uplifting the voices, cultures and histories of the Tribes of these lands and waters.”
To read more about Evergreen’s land acknowledgment, click here.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here