Muckleshoot

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (

The name "Muckleshoot" is an anglicization of the Lushootseed word bəqəlšuɬ.^[1]

bəqəlšuɬ originally referred only to a prairie, located between the White and Green rivers, and never as a word to refer to the peoples living in this area. Prior to the establishment of the Muckleshoot reservation, the Indigenous peoples of the Green-White river systems were variously called "Green River Indians", "White River Indians", or by their native village terms (such as Skopamish). The name "Muckleshoot" was first recorded in a survey conducted by George Gibbs from 1853-1856, where he recorded "Mukl-shootl", as being a "prairie between the White and Green [rivers]. U.S. Military Station".^[2]

The term evolved from referring to a prairie, to referring to a military outpost on the prairie. After the reservation was established at the fort, it took the name of the prairie, and later, was applied to the

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is the successor of various groups which lived along the Duwamish River's watershed, and parts of the upper Puyallup River's watershed. These include the:

• Duwamish^[5][6]
• Stkamish^[5][6]
• Smulkamish^[5][6]
• Skopamish,^[6] the name for all peoples living along the Green River. This term covered eight to ten independent villages along the river, such as the Yilalkoamish.^[5][7]
• Upper Puyallup peoples^[6]
  • Tkwakwamish^[5][6]

The origins of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe lie in the 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek and the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott.^[5][4] Although the Stkamish, Skopamish, and Smulkamish bands are mentioned in the preamble to the Treaty of Point Elliott, they did not sign the treaty directly. Along with the Sammamish, they were assumed by the territorial governor of Washington Territory, Isaac Stevens, to be under the control of the Duwamish and Seattle. It was Stevens' desire to alter the traditional political organization of the Indigenous peoples in the area by appointing single "chiefs" as leaders of entire groups, noting the "difficulties in trying to control an indigenous population without strong chiefs and centralized authority." The decision of creating these political officices was not based on the indigenous social organization, and as such, Seattle was appointed as a "head chief" of a Duwamish Tribe that included all the peoples living along the Duwamish watershed, including the Green and White rivers' population.^[8] For this reason, the Muckleshoot Tribe has variously claimed that they have both a treaty and non-treaty status. Furthermore, the Muckleshoot Reservation exists on territory ceded by the Treaty of Point Elliott, but was dictated by the Treaty of Medicine Creek (and only the Medicine Creek treaty was ratified at the time), further contributing to the confusion.^[9]

The treaties were unpopular with many, and due to the continuing hostility, the Puget Sound War began shortly after, in 1855. The ancestral bands of the Muckleshoot joined the war against the American government.^[10] At the war's conclusion, during the Fox Island Council, governor Stevens agreed to the establishment of a new reservation for groups who had not received a reservation under the prior treaties. At Fox Island, Stevens agreed that a reservation would be created in all the lands between the White and Green rivers, including Muckleshoot Prairie.^[5]

The

In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act allowed Native Americans living on reservations to establish their own governments. The peoples of the Muckleshoot Reservation voted to establish the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. In 1936, they established a constitution and bylaws. Around this time, in 1937, the Muckleshoot Tribe had 194 enrolled members.^[5][10]

This subsection needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this subsection. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Muckleshoot" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Muckleshoot Tribe were denied their land claims in Duwamish Indians v. United States, on the basis that there was no treaty with the "Muckleshoot". Later, however, in 1959, the Indian Claims Commission found that the ancestors of the Muckleshoot had possessed 101,620 acres (158.78 sq mi; 411.2 km²) of land, valued at $86,377. On March 8, 1959, the Commission ordered that the Muckleshoot Tribe be paid that amount by the United States.^[11]

A large Army quartermaster depot was established in the Green River Valley at the south end of Auburn to take advantage of railways. It served the ports along Puget Sound, supporting the US war effort in the Pacific. In the post-World War II era, Auburn began to be more industrialized. Together with rapid population growth in the region, which developed many suburbs, these changes put pressure on the Muckleshoot and their reservation holdings. Many private land owners tried to prevent them from fishing and hunting in traditional territories.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Muckleshoot engaged in a series of protests,^[12] intended at protecting their fragile ecosystem. Known as the Fish Wars, these protests attempted to preserve Muckleshoot fishing rights in nearby rivers that were not within the official reservation. County and state authorities had tried to regulate their fishing off-reservation. Similarly, the state tried to regulate other tribes in their fishing along the coastal waters.

In the

The Muckleshoot Tribe is beholden to their constitution, which was approved on May 13, 1936 and was ratified later that year, on October 21, 1936.[10] The primary governing body is the Muckleshoot Tribal Council, a nine-member elected body. The Tribal Council is subject to the General Council, which is composed of all citizens of the Muckleshoot Tribe.^[6]

The Muckleshoot Tribe is a member of an intertribal court system, which was formed in 1978.^[11]

The reservation falls under Public Law 280 jurisdiction, with police services supplied by both King County and Auburn. The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe contracts with the

Most Muckleshoot citizens live on or near the 15.871 km² (6.128 sq mi) Muckleshoot Reservation. The reservation is located between the White and Green rivers on Muckleshoot Prairie (47°15′43″N 122°08′45″W / 47.26194°N 122.14583°W / 47.26194; -122.14583), southeast of Auburn, Washington. The reservation is situated in parts of King and Pierce counties.^[6] Approximately 1,201 acres of the land on the reservation was in trust in 1975.^[11]

On November 6, 2013, the Muckleshoot Tribe bought 150 square miles (390 km²) of forest in Washington state to add to its landholdings.^[13]

As of 2023, the Muckleshoot Tribe has 3,353 enrolled members, of which 1,522 (±337) are of Muckleshoot ancestry alone.^[14][15] As of 2023, the Muckleshoot Reservation has a population of around 3,959 (±569), of which 1,421 (±194) are White, 73 (±50) are Black or African American, 1,103 (±290) are American Indian and Alaska Native, 171 (±114) are Asian, 96 (±102) are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 373 (±151) are Some Other Race, and 722 (±216) are Two or More Races.^[16]

The Muckleshoot speak the southern dialect of Lushootseed, called

The Muckleshoot Tribe holds Skopabsh Days each August, which is a three-day festival that features traditional arts, crafts, cooking, and clothing. Additionally, each July, the Muckleshoot Tribe hosts the Muckleshoot Sobriety Powwow.[17]

In the First Salmon Ceremony, the entire community shares the flesh of a Spring Chinook. They return its remains to the river where it was caught. This is so the salmon can inform the other fish of how well it was received. The other ceremony for the first salmon is to roast it until it becomes ashes. The Muckleshoot toss the bones and ashes back into the water or stream where they took the salmon, believing that the fish would come alive again (be part of a round of new propagation).^{[citation needed]}

Most Muckleshoot citizens are employed by industries in the nearby city of Auburn, as well as by the tribal government. Others engage in fishing, logging, or agriculture on the reservation. The tribe manages fisheries and hatcheries, as well as a community center, community housing, a library, a medical and dental clinic, an educational training program, and a youth group program. In total, the tribe employs 1,200, and is the second-largest employer in southern King County.^[18]

The tribe won settlements from

In 2006, the tribe made a $42 million agreement with the Seattle City Council for the conservation and protection of the Cedar River.^[11]

The Muckleshoot Tribe acquired the

The Muckleshoot Casino was expanded in January 2024 with the opening of an 18-story hotel with 401 rooms. The casino itself was expanded to 300,000 square feet (28,000 m²); a parking garage at the site opened in 2021.[28]

Since 2017, Muckleshoot Tribal Transit has offered free bus service on the reservation. The transit is funded by grants from the Federal Transit Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.^[29]

Education for the tribe is conducted by Muckleshoot Child Care, Muckleshoot Tribal Schools, and the Muckleshoot Tribal College. Muckleshoot Tribal Schools started in 1984, and provides education which emphasizes Indigenous history, art, dance, and culture, as well as language. In 1997, MTS began offering all high-school grades. A modern, K-12 school opened in 2009, providing access to academic and cultural learning as well as 21st century technology.^[30] Students can earn an associates degree at Muckleshoot Tribal College.^[31]

Bibliography

• Bates, Dawn; Hess, Thom;
  OCLC 29877333
  .
• Johansen, Bruce E (2015). Up from the Ashes: Nation Building at Muckleshoot (1st ed.). Seattle, WA: Seattle Publishing.
  ISBN 978-0-9857764-1-1
  .
• Lane, Barbara (1973). Anthropological Report on the Identity and Treaty Status of the Muckleshoot Indians (PDF).
• 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:
  ISBN 9780806124797
  .

Further reading

• Johansen, Bruce E (2015). Up from the Ashes: Nation Building at Muckleshoot (1st ed.). Seattle, WA: Seattle Publishing.
  ISBN 978-0-9857764-1-1
  .

External links

• Muckleshoot Tribe website
• Muckleshoot Casino
• Danny Westneat (July 26, 1995). "Business - Muckleshoot Tribe Rises From Ashes Of 1970 Fire". Seattle Times Newspaper. Retrieved February 16, 2015.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Muckleshoot.