Swinomish Indians

Swinomish Indians. A place name.

Swinomish Connections. The Swinomish belonged to the coastal division of the Salishan linguistic family, and are sometimes called a subdivision of the Skagit.

Swinomish Location. On the northern part of Whidbey Island and about the mouth of Skagit River.

Swinomish Subdivisions

  • Ho’baks, on the upper end of Penn’s Cove, not far from San de Fuca, Ho’baks, on the upper end of Penn’s Cove, not far from San de Fuca, Batsa’dsali at Coupeville, Ba’asats between Coupeville and Snaklem Point west of Long Point, and Tcubaa’ltced on the north side of Snaklem Point about 4 miles from Coupeville.
  • Batsa’dsali at Coupeville, Ba’asats between Coupeville and Snaklem Point west of Long Point, and Tcubaa’ltced on the north side of Snaklem Point about 4 miles from Coupeville.
  • Kikia’los, on Skagit Bay from the South Fork of Skagit River to the north tip of Camano Island, with a village at the mouth of Carpenter Creek between Conway and Fir, and another called Atsala’di at Utsalady on Camano Island.
  • Kwa’dsakbiuk, on the lower reaches of Stillaguamish River and Port Susan, with a village at the mouth of the Stillaguamish.
  • Skagit, on Whidbey Island, from Oak Harbor south to Snaklem Point, with a village at Oak Harbor.
  • Skwada’bsh, on the North Fork of the Skagit River and the eastern part of Whidbey Island lying north of Oak Harbor, with Skwi’kwikwab at the mouth of the North Fork of the Skagit, and Tcotab on a point across Skagit Bay.
  • Swinomish (on southern Padilla Bay, Swinomish Slough which joins Padilla Bay and Skagit Bay, Skagit Bay from Sullivan Slough north, and the southeast portion of Fidalgo Island), with the following villages:
    • Kale’kut (not far from Whitney at the highway bridge),
    • Sde’os (near Lone Tree Point, Shuptada’tci (on Swinomish Slough 3 miles from La Conner),
    • Another village (on Sullivan Slough just east of La Conner).

Swinomish Population. The Swinomish are usually enumerated with the Skagit (q. v.). The Skagit and Swinomish together numbered 268 in 1909. In 1937 there were 285 Swinomish reported.


Collection:
Swanton, John R. The Indian Tribes of North America. Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 145. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1953.

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