Salishan Family

Twana Tribe

Twana Indians. A Salish division living along both sides of Hoods canal, west Washington.  The name is said to signify ‘a portage,’ the portage referred to being that between the head of Hoods canal and the headwaters of Puget Sound.  According to Eells there are three bands, the Colcine, Skokomish and Tulalip.  From the name of one of the bands all of them are sometimes called Skokomish.  Population, about 265 in 1853. They are probably the Skokomish of the Indian Office reports, numbering 203 in 1909.

Tillamook Tribe

Tillamook Indians (Chinook; ‘people of Nekelim,’ or Nehalem.  Boas). A large and prominent Salish tribe on Tillamook Bay and the rivers flowing into in, in north west Oregon.  According to Boas the culture of the Tillamook seems to have differed considerably form that of the north coast Salish, and has evidently been influenced by the culture of the tribes of North California.  According to Lewis and Clark they occupied 8 villages of which these explorers name 5; Chishuck, Chucktin, Kilerhurst, Kilherner and Towerquotton.  The same authorities place the Tillamook population at 2,200. In the reports of the Wilkes Exploring Expedition … Read more

Swallah Tribe

Swallah Indians or Swalash Indians. Said to be a band of Salish (perhaps one of the Lummi subdivisions) on Orcas Island of the San Juan group, north west Washington; now on Lummi Reservation.

Snohomish Tribe

Snohomish Indians. A Salish tribe formerly on the south end of Whidbey Island, Puget Sound and the on the mainland opposite at the the mouth of Snohomish river, Washington. Population 350 in 1850. The remnant is now on Tulalip Reservation, Washington, mixed with other broken tribes.

Skagit Tribe

Skagit Indians. A body of Salish on a river of the same name in Washington, particularly about its mouth, and on the middle portion of Whidbey island, especially at Penn’s cove. According to Gibbs the population of the Skagit proper in 1853 was about 300. They are now on Swinomish Reservation, Washington. Gibbs makes this division include the Kikiallu, Nukwatsamish, Towahha, Smalihu, Sakumehu,  Miskaiwhu, Miseekwigweelis, Swinamish, and Skwomamish; but probably nothing more is meant by this classification than that the dialects of the several divisions were nearly related and the geographical position close. Nothing like political union appears to have … Read more

Senijextee Tribe

Senijextee Indians. A Salish tribe formerly residing on both sides of Columbia River from Kettle falls to the Canadian boundary; they also occupied the valley of Kettle River; Kootenay River form its mouth to the first falls, and the region of the Arrow Lakes, British Columbia.  In 1909 those in the United States numbered 342 on the Colville Reservation, Washington.

Squaxon Tribe

Squaxon Indians. A Salish division on the peninsula between Hoods canal and Case inlet, Washington, under the Puyallup school superintendency.  Population 98 in 1909.

Semiahmoo Tribe

Semiahmoo Indians. A Salish tribe living about the bay of the same in north west Washington and south west British Columbia.  In 1843 they numbered about 300 and in 1909 there were 38 of the tribe on the Canadian side.

Satsop Tribe

Satsop Indians. A Salish division on Satsop River, emptying into Chehalis River, Washington.  Usually classed under the collective term Lower Chehalis.

Siletz Tribe

Siletz Indians. A former Salishan tribe on a river of the same name in north west Oregon.  It was the southernmost Salishan tribe on the coast.  Latterly the name was extended to designate all the tribes on the Siletz Reservation in Oregon which belong to the Athapascan, Yakonan, Kusan, Takilman, Shastan and Shahaptian linguistic families.

Sanpoil Tribe

Sanpoil Indians. A body of Salish on Sans Poil river and on the Columbia below Big bend, Washington.  Gibbs classed them as one of the 8 bands of Spokan and also as one of the 6 bands of Okinagan, they being claimed by both tribes.  In 1905 they were reported to number 324, on the Colville Reservation, but in 1909 their population was given as only 178, the disparity being attributed to duplication in previous counts. No treaty was ever made with these Indians for their lands, the Government taking possession of their country except such portions as have been … Read more

Samish Tribe

Samish Indians. A Salish division formerly on a river and bay of the same name in Washington, now on Lummi Reservation.  Aseakum and Nukhwhaiimikhl were among their villages.

Nisqualli Tribe

Nisqualli Indians. A Salish tribe on and about the river of the same name flowing into the south extension of Puget Sound, Washington.  The Nisqualli Reservation is on the Nisqualli river between Pierce and Thurston counties.  The name has also been extended to apply to those tribes on the east side of Puget Sound, speaking the same dialect as the above.  Such are the Puyallup, Skagit, Snohomish, Snokwalmu and Stilakwamish.  Mitsukwick was a former Nisqualli village.  The Nisqualli made a treaty with the United States at Medicine creek, Washington, December 26, 1854, ceding certain lands and reserving others.  The Executive … Read more

Nespelim Tribe

Nespelim Indians. A Salish tribe on a creek of the same name, a north tributary of Columbia River, about 40 miles above Ft. Okinakane, Washington.  Ross speaks of them as one of the Okinagan tribes, while Winans classes them as part of the Sanpoil.  The latter two together numbered 653 on Colville Reservation, Washington, in 1906.

Patkanim, Snoqualmie Indian Chief

This famous chieftain was the hereditary ruler of the Snoqualmie tribe, and also the ruling spirit of the Indians in general on the eastern shore of the Sound between the border of British Columbia and the present northern boundary of King county. He was noted for shrewdness and cunning; and at the first coming of the Whites he was hostile to them. While thus opposing the settlers, he kept on good terms with the officials of the Hudson’s Bay Company. His cunning, not to say duplicity, is shown by his conduct during the attack on Fort Nisqually in October, 1849. … Read more

Salishan Indians

Salishan Family, Salishan Indians. A linguistic family inhabiting the north portions of Washington, northern Idaho, western Montana, a small strip of the north west coast of Oregon, and in Canada the south east part of Vancouver Island from Thurlow Island to Sooke Bay, and all the south mainland of British Columbia as far as Bute inlet and Quesnelle Lake, with the exception of that portion held by the Kutenai, although within the Kutenai area, at the Columbia lakes, is a small settlement of Salish. An isolated division of the family, the Bellacoola, had established itself farther north on Dean inlet, … Read more

Chilliwack Tribe

Chilliwack Indians, Chilliwack First Nation, Chilliwack People. A Salish tribe on a river of the same name in British Columbia, now speaking the Cowichan dialect, though anciently Nooksak according to Boas. Pop. 313 in 1902. Their villages, mainly on the authority of Hill-Tout, are: Atselits Chiaktel Kokaia Shlalki Siraialo Skaukel Skway Skwealets Stlep Thaltelich Tsoowahlie Yukweakwioose The Canada Indian Affairs Reports give Koquapilt and Skwah (distinct from Skway), and Boas gives Keles, which are not identifiable with any of the above.

Dwamish Tribe

A small body of Salish near Seattle, Washington, which city was named from a chief of these and the Suquamish tribes.  Their proper seat, according to Gibbs, was at the outlet of Lake Washington.  In 1856 they were removed to the east shore of Bainbridge Island, but owing to the absence of a fishing ground were shortly afterwards taken to Holderness point, on the west side of Elliot Bay, which was already a favorite place for fishing. The name, being well known, has been improperly applied collectively to a number of distinct bands in this neighborhood.  Their population about 1856 … Read more

Bellacoola Tribe

Bellacoola Indians, Bellacoola People, Bellacoola First Nation (Bí’lxula). A coast Salish tribe, or rather aggregation of tribes, on north and south Bentinck arm, Dean inlet, and Bellacoola river, British Columbia. This name is that given them by the Kwakiutl, there being no native designation for the entire people. They form the northernmost division of the Salishan stock, from the remaining tribes of which they are separated by the Tsilkotin and the Kwakiutl. In the Canadian reports on Indian affairs the name is restricted by the separation of the Tallion and the Kinisquit (people of Dean inlet), the whole being called the … Read more