Indian Tribes of the Northwest Region

In 1946, an Act of Congress established the Northwest Region, which operates fifteen (15) agencies and field stations across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and southeastern Alaska. The Regional Director oversees the Northwest Region’s administrative functions and provides guidance, direction, and technical assistance in implementing Bureau programs that benefit tribes and individual Indians.

Northwest Regional Office Bureau of Indian Affairs

Coeur d’Alene Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs

Tribes of the Coeur d’Alene Agency

Coeur d’Alene Tribe
The current (2023) enrollment of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribe is over 2,190 members. The tribe holds sovereign authority over a reservation that spans 345,000 acres of mountains, lakes, timber, and farmland, encompassing the western edge of the northern Rocky Mountains and the fertile Palouse country.
- History
  The Coeur d’Alene Tribe was originally known as Schitsu’umsh, which translates to “Those who were found here” or “The discovered people”. This name has been used since ancient times. Prior to the U.S. expansion into the region, the Schitsu’umsh engaged in trade with French fur traders who referred to them as Coeur d’Alene’s, meaning “Heart of the Awl”. This name was given due to the sharp and disciplined trading practices of the Schitsu’umsh people and has since become another name by which they are known.
- Language
  The Coeur d’Alene Language (snchitsu’umshtsn) is a southern interior Salishan language. The Salishan languages were spoken throughout the Pacific Northwest, including British Columbia (Canada), and the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
- Sovereignty
- Tribal Government
- Warriors
- Ancestral Lands

Colville Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs

Tribes of the Colville Agency

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
- History
- Culture
  - Archives and Records
  - Colville Tribal Museum
  - Community Centers
  - Colville Tribal Language
  - Fort Okanogan Interpretive Center
  - History & Archaeology Program
  - Book of Legends
    The Colville Confederated Tribes History/Archaeology Program has compiled a collection of legends associated with Traditional Cultural Properties within the Grand Coulee Dam Project Area, situated in the traditional territory of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. The legends represent events that have taken place, and the list of informants who have contributed to the stories is a significant aspect of the fifty-eight compiled legends. The book of Legends supplements the oral traditions of the tribe and includes legends from various rivers and lakes, such as the Columbia River, Sanpoil River, and Kettle River, between Grand Coulee Dam and the Canadian Border. Additionally, the book also features one legend from Omak Lake and one from the Nespelem River to demonstrate continuity with the surrounding areas. The historical value of Salish place names is reinforced in the Book of Legends, as well as the accuracy of the stories, many of which can be mapped. The printed material remains uncorrected except for the addition of Indian names associated with the legends by Matilda “Tillie” George, who also corrected the proper spellings and translations.
  - Heart of the Palús
    An awesome illustrated book sharing the story of the Colville Tribes and the Palús People.
  - Place Names
    Native American Place Names along the Columbia River above Grand Coulee Dam, North Central Washington, and Traditional Cultural Property Overview Report for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
  - Myths and Realities
  - Tribal Chiefs
  - Pit Moss Cooking
- Multimedia