Who are the Yakama Indians?
Yakama people today are enrolled in the federally recognized tribe, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The Yakama Indian Reservation, along the Yakima River, covers an area of approximately 1.2 million acres (5,260 km²). Today the nation is governed by the Yakama Tribal Council, which consists of representatives of 14 tribes.
What is the history of the Yakima reservation?
The reservation was created in 1855 by a treaty signed by Washington Territory Gov. Isaac Stevens and representatives of the Yakama tribe.
When was the Yakama Indian agency established?
By this process, the Yakama Nation is recognized as a sovereign traditional treaty tribe. The first formal Yakama Indian Agency was established in 1859. "After hostilities with the United States military subsided", the chosen location was the abandoned military base, Fort Simcoe, southwest of present day White Swan.
How many acres of land did the Yakama tribe own?
Of the original 10.8 million acres of Yakama lands; 1.3 millions acres were set aside by the Treaty of 1855 as the Yakama Reservation. All of the remaining land was "the ceded area" to the United States Government for rights, privileges and guarantees which Yakama tribal members exercise today in tribal council.
Where did the Yakama tribe originate?
Yakama, formerly spelled Yakima, self-name Waptailmim (“People of the Narrow River”), in full Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, North American Indian tribe that lived along the Columbia, Yakima, and Wenatchee rivers in what is now the south-central region of the U.S. state of Washington.
When did the Yakama tribe end?
On June 9, 1855, the Yakama, Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla tribes were forced to cede in excess of six million acres to the United States government, partly as punishment for the killing by a group of young Cayuse of Methodist missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and others on November 29, 1847, an event known ...
What was the Yakama tribe known for?
They were hunters and gatherers well-known for trading salmon harvested from annual runs in the Columbia River. In 1805 or 1806, they encountered the Lewis and Clark Expedition at the confluence of the Yakima River and Columbia River.
How did the Yakama war begin?
When some of the Yakama warriors retaliated by killing miners in isolated incidents, Andrew J. Bolon, the Indian sub-agent at The Dalles, was sent in to investigate. When he too was killed, troops were sent into the Yakima Valley, starting the Yakima Indian War in October 1855.
What language do Yakima speak?
Yakima is a dialect of the Sahaptin language family. Sahaptin languages are spoken in the southern plateau region of the United States along the Columbia River and its drainages in what is now Eastern Oregon and Washington. Sahaptin and Nez Perce comprise the Sahaptian Family, classified within Penutian.
What does the name Yakama mean?
Scholars disagree on the origins of the name Yakama. The Sahaptin words, 'E-yak-ma,' means “a growing family”, and iyakima, means “pregnant ones”. Other scholars note the word, yákama, which means “black bear,” or ya-ki-ná, which means “runaway”.
What are people from Yakima called?
Yakima, WashingtonDemonymYakimanianTime zoneUTC-8 (PST)• Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)ZIP Codes98901–98904, 98907–9890933 more rows
What ended the Yakima War?
1855 – 1858Yakima War / Period
Who was the leader of the Yakama tribe?
FIRST CHIEF OF THE YAKAMA NATION 1856-1861 Chief Spencer's tribal name was “Tah pa shah” and interpreted to Sharp Shooter. He was Chief of the Klickitats and appointed at the original Yakama Agency in White Swan, Washington.
How do you pronounce Yakama?
0:180:56YAKAMA - HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT!? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo let's start yakima.MoreSo let's start yakima.
How long did the Yakama war last?
role of Yakama Indians acquired historical distinction in the Yakama Indian Wars (1855–58), an attempt by the tribe to resist U.S. forces intent upon clearing the Washington Territory for prospectors and settlers.
What natural resources did the Yakama tribe use?
The Yakama Indians were fishing people. Their staple food was salmon. Yakama men also hunted for deer, elk, and small game. Yakama women gathered nuts, roots, and berries to add to their diet.
Where is the Yakama tribe now?
southwestern Washington StateThe Yakima or Yakama Nation. Located in southwestern Washington State is the 1,130,000 acres reservation that is home to the Yakima or Yakama Indian Nation (AID, 39). That reservation was granted to the Yakama in a treaty signed in 1855 by Gov.
What ended the Yakima War?
1855 – 1858Yakima War / Period
How long did the Yakama war last?
role of Yakama Indians acquired historical distinction in the Yakama Indian Wars (1855–58), an attempt by the tribe to resist U.S. forces intent upon clearing the Washington Territory for prospectors and settlers.
What are people from Yakima called?
Yakima, WashingtonDemonymYakimanianTime zoneUTC-8 (PST)• Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)ZIP Codes98901–98904, 98907–9890933 more rows
Where did the Yakama tribe get their name?
Some sources say the tribe’s name originated from E-yak-ma, meaning “a growing family,” or from the Sahaptin word, iyakima, which translates to “pregnant ones.” Others say the name may have come from yákama (“black bear”) or Ya-ki-ná (“runaway”). The Yakama were also called Waptailnsim, meaning “people of the narrow river,” or Pa’kiut’lĕma, which means “people of the gap.” Both of these names refer to the narrows in the Yakima River at Union Gap, the site of the Yakama’s main village at one time. The Yakama called themselves Mamachatpam. In 1994 the tribe changed their name from Yakima to Yakama to reflect the native pronunciation. The official name of the tribe is Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.
How many people did the Yakama tribe have?
The Yakama lived in sixty or seventy villages of about fifty to two hundred people. The bands lived in their own areas of the Yakima River Valley during the winter, but the rest of the year they met and shared hunting grounds and fishing areas. In addition to gathering food, they bartered goods, held horse races, played sports, and spent time visiting.
How many tribes were there in the Yakama Nation?
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, or simply the Yakama Nation (formerly Yakima), was a consolidation of 14 bands, or tribes: Kah-milt-pah, Klickitat, Klinquit, Kow-was-say-ee, Li-ay-was, Oche-chotes, Palouse (Palus), Pisquose, Se-ap-cat, Shyiks, Skin-pah, Wenatshapam, Wish-ham, and Yakama. During their wars with the United States in the 1800s, the Yakama allied with the Nez Percé, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Pala, Cayuse, Spokan, and Couer d’Alene.
How many Yakama were there in 1805?
Some sources believe that prior to 1805 approximately seven thousand Yakama lived in the area around the Columbia River. That number dropped to 3,500 in 1805. In 1806 Lewis and Clark estimated the Yakama population to be 1,200. The number of people living on the Yakama Reservation in 1909 was 1,900, but that included all the various tribes, not just the Yakama. According to an estimate in 1990, about eight thousand Yakama lived in the United States. In 2000 the U.S. Bureau of the Census did a population count that indicated there were 8,337 Yakima; of those 5,125 lived on the reservation.
What did the Yakama do in the 1700s?
During the 1700s a Yakama leader, We-ow-wicht, united a large part of the territory. When he died, the land was divided between his eight sons. Around this time the tribe acquired horses, enabling them to increase their food supplies and barter for new goods. The need for horse pastures led the Yakama to explore the area east of the Cascade Mountains, which spread their language and led to intermarriage with other tribes.
Why did the Yakama tribe not keep their land?
After the U.S. government allocated land during the early 1900s, many tribe members could not afford to keep their land because of taxation (see “History”). Yakama land holdings dwindled as more and more property ended up in white American hands. This caused difficulties in governing, grazing, and overall tribal unity. Much of the land was also subject to different municipal laws and taxes.
Why did the Yakama have boarding schools?
They established a boarding school at Fort Simcoe to educate Native American children. Students were forced to speak English, dress in American clothes, and learn white ways.
Where was the first Yakama Indian agency?
"After hostilities with the United States military subsided", the chosen location was the abandoned military base, Fort Simcoe, southwest of present day White Swan. This area, originally known as "Mool-mool", had been a camp site for the summer and early fall seasons at the time when people did their hunting, root gathering, fishing and huckleberry picking. This seasonal food area on the Eel Trail was the hub of travel to the usual and accustomed fishing, hunting and gathering areas towards the Columbia River. Troops occupying the fort renamed the area "Simcoe Valley." The name is derived from the Yakama word "Sim Quwe" pronounced "Sim Ku We", which means "saddle back" or a dip between two hills like a saddle back. The Yakama people called the area Mool Mool because of the spot where the water bubbles out of the ground, making a sound similar to "Mool Mool." The agency was thereafter moved approximately 30 miles east to present day Toppenish.
How many acres of Yakama land were there?
Of the original 10.8 million acres of Yakama lands; 1.3 millions acres were set aside by the Treaty of 1855 as the Yakama Reservation. All of the remaining land was "the ceded area" to the United States Government for rights, privileges and guarantees which Yakama tribal members exercise today in tribal council.
What is the new spelling of Yakama?
NOTE: Resolution T-053-94 has recognized the new spelling of the word "YAKAMA." "Whereas, for many years the symbolic spelling of our nation has been 'YAKIMA' with all of our documents, resolutions, letterheads, and nation's flag, etc.", and "whereas, in accordance with our Treaty negotiations, the confederacy of the 14 original tribes and bands shall be know as Confederated Tribes and Band of the Yakama Indian Nation."
How many treaty signers are there in Yakama?
In recognition of the original 14 Treaty signers and formally established in 1944, a tribal council of 14 leaders is elected by the General Membership Council and authorized to transact business for the Yakama Nation. The General Council is comprised of enrolled tribal members over 18 years of age who elect officials to represent the Yakama Nation. A system of utilizing the traditional form of voting by raising of the right hand during election is still practiced today. By this process, the Yakama Nation is recognized as a sovereign traditional treaty tribe.
Is the Yakama Nation a treaty tribe?
By this process, the Yakama Nation is recognized as a sovereign traditional treaty tribe. The first formal Yakama Indian Agency was established in 1859.
Is the word Indian removed from the Yakama Tribal Council?
NOTE: Resolution T-172-99 has recognized the removal of 'Indian'. "Whereas, by motion of the Yakama Tribal Council it has been determined that...the word "Indian" shall no longer be labeled to Yakama Nation. Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Executive Board of the Yakama Tribal Council...hereby corrects the official Government to be recognized by its official name "Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation."
When did the Yakama tribe become a member of the Yakama Nation?
In 1859 the treaty of 1855 was effected, with the Yakama and most of the other tribes confined to reservations and their fertile ancestral lands opened to colonial appropriation. Since that time, all the residents of the Yakama Reservation have been considered members of the Yakama Nation. Several tribes in the region, notably the Palouse, refused to acknowledge the treaty and would not enter the reservation.
Who led the Yakama tribe?
Before the treaty could be ratified, however, a force united under the leadership of Yakama chief Kamaiakan, who declared his intention to drive all nonnatives from the region. After initial Yakama successes, the uprising spread to other tribes in Washington and Oregon.
What tribes did not enter the Yakama reservation?
Several tribes in the region, notably the Palouse, refused to acknowledge the treaty and would not enter the reservation. Early 21st-century population estimates indicated some 11,000 individuals of Yakama Nation ancestry. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now.
Where did the Yakama live?
Yakama, North American Indian tribe that lived along the Columbia, Yakima, and Wenatchee rivers in what is now the south-central region of the U.S. state of Washington. As with many other Sahaptin-speaking Plateau Indians, the Yakama were primarily salmon fishers before colonization. In the early
Where did the Sahaptin tribe live?
They traditionally resided in what are now southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and west-central Idaho, U.S., in the basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries . Major groups included the Cayuse,….
When was the Yakama Reservation created?
The reservation was created in 1855 by a treaty signed by Washington Territory Gov. Isaac Stevens and representatives of the Yakama tribe. Several Native leaders believed that those representatives did not have the authority to cede communal land and had not properly gained consensus from the full council or tribe.
What was the Yakima War?
A dispute over the treaty conditions led to the Yakima War (1855–1858), which the Yakama and allied tribes waged against the United States. Following the Bannock War of 1878, the United States government forced the Northern Paiute people out of Nevada and onto the Yakama Reservation, although most had not been involved in the war.
What tribes are on the Yakima reservation?
other Klikitat, Palus, Wallawalla, Wanapam, Wenatchi, Wishram, and Yakama peoples. The Yakama Indian Reservation (spelled Yakima until 1994) is a Native American reservation in Washington state of the federally recognized tribe known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The tribe is made up of Klikitat, Palus, Wallawalla, ...
Why is the Yakama Tribal Council a public safety crisis?
In February 2018, the Yakama tribal council Yakamas passed a resolution declared a public safety crisis in response to a surge of crime on the reservation, particularly in White Swan.
What are the Yakama tribe's problems?
The Yakama Nation suffers from high poverty and unemployment ; a 2005 report indicated that 42.8% of Yakama Nation families lived in poverty. As of 2017, there was a wait list of 1,800 families for tribal housing, and high rates of homelessness. In 2016, an encampment at the reservation was set up by about 130 people evicted from tribal housing. Members of the tribe responded by building tiny houses, but the structures do not have plumbing and are not viewed as a permanent solution.
How many Paiute were in Washington?
The more than 500 Paiute in Washington were subjected to privation for more than a decade before being allowed to return to Nevada. They were forced to compete for the limited resources and housing on the reservation with peoples who had been established there for decades.
What is the tribal council's response to the drug violence in the Indian Reservation?
In June 2019, the tribal council said that the reservation was plagued by drug use and violent crime, as well as "disregard for the rule of law and general civil unrest" and responded by imposing a youth curfew, establishing a telephone hotline for reporting crime, and increasing penalties for theft and assault.
Who was the chief of the Yakama tribe?
Their ability to gather their traditional foods all but destroyed, many took refuge in traditional beliefs, hoping that in time these practices would drive out the whites and restore their lands. Kamiakin (ca.1800-1877), chief of Yakama Tribe, 1855.
What happened to the Yakama in the morning?
In the morning the Yakama were nearly surrounded. Kamiakin ordered retreat, and the warriors’ ponies easily outdistanced the soldiers’ horses. Snow covered the ponies’ tracks. In the two days of fighting there had been only one death: a non-combatant killed by mistake by a government scout.
What was the name of the battle that started the Yakima Valley?
The fight on October 5 started the conflict that would come to be known as the Yakama (or Yakima) Indian War . Casualties in this first battle were low on both sides. Kamiakin had two dead, four wounded, one captured.
What did Kamiakin say to the soldiers?
The soldiers also found a letter that Kamiakin had dictated to Father Pandosy, one of the priests. The letter was addressed to the soldiers and protested the Indians' treatment. He suggested that the tribes could grant portions of their land to the whites in exchange for not being forced onto reservations.
What tribes were forced to cede land to the United States?
On June 9, 1855, the Yakama, Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla tribes were forced to cede in excess of six million acres to the United States government, partly as punishment for the killing by a group of young Cayuse of Methodist missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and others on November 29, 1847, an event known as the Whitman Massacre. ...
Who attacked Kamiakin?
On November 9, 1855, Major Gabriel J. Rains and troops some 700-strong marched on Kamiakin and his 300 warriors on the bank of the Yakima River at Union Gap. Outnumbered more than two to one, the attack seemed to confirm the Yakama people's fear that the whites had come to exterminate them. The warriors battled as their families fled toward safety through the bitterly cold night.
What happened on October 5, 1855?
Tweet. On the afternoon of October 5, 1855, gunfire erupts between Yakama Chief Kamiakin’s 300 warriors and Major Granville O. Haller’s 84-man troop of soldiers. The two groups have been at a standoff across the ford at Toppenish Creek. Haller and his men are forced into retreat, but tensions continue to rise between Indians ...
Who started the Yakama War?
B. Non-natives killed Yakamas. Miners rape and murder a Yakama woman, her teenage daughter, and her baby. The Yakama Warriors including the father of this family tracked down the murdering miners and killed them before they could cause any more harm.
Why did Yakamas go to war?
Yakamas went to war with the federal government over the protection of our homes and families.
What language is the Yakama war told in?
This history has been told in the Ichiskiin language and in oral history. I’ve been reading a lot about the Yakama War. There is a lack of voice from Yakamas readily available.
Did Yakamas kill Agent Bolan?
Yakamas felt there was no protection for their families and homelands and after being threatened killed Agent Bolan. Both Yakamas and non-Yakamas agree on this point: That Agent Bolan was killed by Yakamas. Now, this was obviously a heated discussion on both sides that escalated into numerous killings. To take a life is against Yakama law and as such it is not something Yakamas would do lightly.
History
Important Dates
- 1730:The introduction of the horse changes the Yakama lifestyle. 1805: Lewis and Clark expeditionarrives in Yakama territory. 1811:First trading post is established. 1855:The Yakama sign a treaty with the U.S. government. 1855–58:The tribe and its allies fight the U.S. Army in the Yakima Wars. 1883:The Northern Pacific Railroad is built through Yak...
Religion
- Guardian Spirits
The Yakama went on vision quests as children to get a guardian spirit. Children went alone to a remote spot and stayed overnight or for several days until they had a vision. Those who received a spirit never talked about it, but would later experience “spirit sickness,” then a twáti (medicine do… - Longhouse religion
The traditional Yakama religion had several different names: Wáashat, longhouse or seven drum religion, or Native American worship. Wáashatcame from the Sahaptin word for “dance.” Derived from ideas of early Native prophets, it focused on ancient rituals such as the First Foods Feast (…
Language
- Most Yakama on the reservation speak Ten-tumpt, a northwestern Sahaptin dialect (variety) of the Plateau Penutian family. Yakama and Klickitat speakers have trouble understanding Umatilla or Walla Walla speakers, but the languages are similar enough that speakers can communicate with each other. Only a few dozen Yakama elders use their language exclusively, but many people ca…
Yakama Words
- á’a… “crow”
- átmupil… “car”
- áay… “hello”
- mishcosk… “red”
Government
- The small, independent village was the main political unit among the early Yakama. The headman of each group had to be wise and generous, have good morals, and be a good speaker. Rarely, a chief led a larger band or several groups, usually during war. He often inherited his position, but the people also had to respect him. Several men served on a council to settle disputes and overs…
Economy
- Traditional economy
Early Yakima economy depended on trapping, fishing, hunting, and gathering. Later the tribe traded fish products, baskets, mats, furs, jewelry, artwork, dogs, and horses with other tribes. Other trade goods included food, canoes, feathers, mountain goat wool, and even slaves. Most t… - Modern economy
Many Yakama still engage in ceremonial, subsistence, and commercial fishing for salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon. The tribe supervises the Columbia and eight other rivers in conjunction with the state of Washington. Their fisheries program employs about forty people. Another proje…
Daily Life
- Families
Most villages consisted of extended families. They contained five to fifteen lodges; each house usually had three generations living together. Families took the name of the villages where they lived; a tradition that continues today. - Buildings
The earliest Yakama houses were small underground pits with domed roofs. They were about three or 4 feet (1 meter) deep and 12 to 18 feet (4 or 5 meters) around. The Yakama laid poles over the hole to hold up mats. An opening in the roof allowed smoke to escape and light to enter…
Arts
- Crafts
The Yakama were known for their basketry, which they often traded with other tribes. They made baskets of many sizes; some were for carrying water and for cooking. These baskets were woven so tightly that water did not drip out. They had tapered bottoms so they could be wedged into th… - Storytelling
In the cold northern winters families gathered around the fire for storytelling. Grandparents passed down tales of the people to their grandchildren. Stories began when the elder said, Awacha nay!, which meant “This is the way it was in the legendary days of the animal world.” Chi…
Customs
- Birth and naming
Babies were born in a small, cone-shaped hut set apart from the main lodge. Older female relatives assisted at the birth. Afterwards, the mother and child stayed isolated for five days, and then returned home. Babies were placed in cradleboards made of wood and buckskin. A hoop o… - Childrearing
Children learned cooperation and sharing. Parents praised and honored youngsters with feasts when they took on adult responsibilities (see “Education”). Each town, however, also had a “whipper” to discipline children who did not listen during ceremonies. If children misbehaved, par…
Overview
The Yakama Indian Reservation (spelled Yakima until 1994) is a Native American reservation in Washington state of the federally recognized tribe known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The tribe is made up of Klikitat, Palus, Wallawalla, Wanapam, Wenatchi, Wishram, and Yakama peoples.
History
The reservation was created in 1855 by a treaty signed by Washington Territory Gov. Isaac Stevens and representatives of the Yakama tribe. Several Native leaders believed that those representatives did not have the authority to cede communal land and had not properly gained consensus from the full council or tribe. A dispute over the treaty conditions led to the Yakima War (1855–1858), which the Yakama and allied tribes waged against the United States.
Geography and topography
The reservation is located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains in southern Washington state. The eastern portion of Mount Adams lies within this territory. According to the United States Census Bureau, the reservation covers 2,185.94 square miles (5,661.56 km²) and the population in 2000 was 31,799. It lies primarily in Yakima and the northern edge of Klickitat counties. The largest city on the reservation is Toppenish.
Membership
Roughly 10,000 people were enrolled members of the Yakama Nation in 2009. The required blood quantum for tribal membership is 1⁄4.
Economy
The Yakama Nation suffers from high poverty and unemployment; a 2005 report indicated that 42.8% of Yakama Nation families lived in poverty. As of 2017, there was a wait list of 1,800 families for tribal housing, and high rates of homelessness. In 2016, an encampment at the reservation was set up by about 130 people evicted from tribal housing. Members of the tribe responded by building tiny houses, but the structures do not have plumbing and are not viewed a…
Law and government
The governance of the tribe is the responsibility of a 14-member tribal council, elected by a vote of the tribe's members.
In 1963, most criminal and civil jurisdiction over tribal members was transferred from the tribe to the Washington state government under Public Law 280. (Misdemeanors and traffic infractions continued to be handled by the tribe.) From 1983 to April 1993, thirteen women were killed on th…
Crime and public safety
In February 2018, the Yakama tribal council Yakamas passed a resolution declared a public safety crisis in response to a surge of crime on the reservation, particularly in White Swan. The resolution sought to impose greater penalties on tribal members who commit crimes (including the loss of treaty rights to hunt and fish, as well as banishment from the tribe) and stated that non-members who committed crimes on the reservation could be excluded from the reservation.
Communities
• Glenwood
• Harrah
• Parker
• Satus
• Tampico (part)