The Duwamish are the Indigenous people of metropolitan Seattle and western Washington.
Traditionally, the Duwamish people lived along the Black River and Duwamish River in Washington, and are believed to have descended from two separate groups: the dxʷdəwʔabš (Duwamish) and the x̌ačuʔabš (Hachuamish), who territory extended around Lake Washington. The Duwamish, represented by Chief Seattle, were among the signatories of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott.
While their primary language today is English, the Duwamish historically spoke a subdialect of the southern dialect of Lushootseed, a Coast Salish language used throughout much of western Washington.
Contemporary Duwamish are enrolled in several tribes. These include the yet unrecognized Duwamish Tribe, and several recognized tribes, including the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and the Tulalip Tribes of Washington.
Duwamish is an anglicization of the Lushootseed term dxʷdəwʔabš, which means "people of the inside," which is a reference to the people of the Cedar River. The other group included with the Duwamish, the Hachuamish, are also named for an anglicization of a Lushootseed name. In Lushootseed, they are called x̌acuʔabš, which means "people of the lake," a reference to Lake Washington.
Western Washington has been permanently inhabited for at least 12,000 years. At the time of their first contact with European people, the Duwamish and Hachuamish considered themselves to be separate people. After increased European contact, the two groups became unified under the Duwamish, and contemporary Duwamish are descended from both groups.
The Treaty of Point Elliott, which the Duwamish, then led by Chief Seattle, took part in, was negotiated entirely in Chinook Jargon, a trade language not understood by many of those in attendance. By the terms of this treaty, the Duwamish ceded more than 54,000 acres of land, including what are now the cities of Seattle, Renton, Tukwila, Bellevue, and Mercer Island. The treaty established the Port Madison, Tulalip, Swinomish, and Lummi reservations as temporary reservations for all of the signatory tribes, promising that the reservations would soon be expanded and new reservations established for other tribes. This did not occur.
For a variety of reasons, including the lack of followthrough on promises, abuse of power, and the murder of American Indians at the hands of settlers, the Puget Sound War began, beginning with the 1856 Battle of Seattle. The Duwamish took part in the battle on both sides, with many of the Hachuamish fighting against the Americans, while Chief Seattle and his group of Duwamish were on the side of the settlers.
A year later, the Muckleshoot Reservation was set aside for the Duwamish and other tribes living along the Duwamish watershed. However, in the following years, most of the remaining Duwamish moved from their historical lands to the Suquamish Reservation, with others moving to the Muckleshoot and Tulalip reservations, while others refused to leave their traditional lands. Many of this latter group became assimilated into white society.
In the late 19th century, the Duwamish were expelled from Seattle, and nearby Duwamish settlements were burned.
In the early 20th century, several Duwamish were converted to the Indian Shaker Church, an Indigenous religion originating with the Squaxin.
In 1974, American Indian tribes in Washington were given rights to fifty percent of the fishing harvest guaranteed by treaty. However, these rights were granted only to those enrolled in a federally recognized tribe, and the Duwamish Tribe was unrecognized. The Duwamish have been fighting for federal recognition ever since.
Traditionally, the Duwamish were not a unified tribe. Villages were wholly autonomous, while the tribe was linked by a shared language, culture, and intermarriage. While some villages were of higher status, there was no official authority of one village over another.
Traditional Duwamish society was dominated by the village, which was the highest form of social organization. Each village had one or more cedar plank longhouses housing extended families. Each longhouse was divided into sections, with each family having their own section of the house with a fire pit in the center of the section.
Traditional Duwamish had winter villages and summer camps, where they fished for salmon, harvested shellfish, and foraged for edible plants. During the winter, their diet of dried fish and berries was supplemented by hunting bears, beavers, ducks, muskrats, otters, and raccoons. Winters were a time for constructing and repairing their longhouses, socializing, stories, and art.
The Duwamish are the focus of this category.
Categories
Muckleshoot |
Recommended Resources
Defending Our Duwamish Heritage
Operated by the Muckleshoot, Tulalip, and Puyallup Indian Tribes, the site claims that these tribes are the true descendants of the Duwamish people, who were the original inhabitants of the Seattle area. The site opposes the efforts of the Duwamish Tribal Organization, which is seeking federal recognition as a tribe, arguing that the Duwamish Tribal Organization is not a legitimate tribe but a small group of people who have no connection to Duwamish culture or heritage.
https://www.therealduwamish.org/
The official tribal website highlights the tribe's history, the Treaty of Point Elliott, the exile to Ballast Island, federal acknowledgment, and the tribe's historic preservation projects. The tribe's services for tribal members are featured, along with its tours, venue space rental, and health services. Other resources include a calendar of events, and an appeal for support for the tribe's efforts to gain federal recognition as a tribe. A tribal store features tribe-inspired apparel.
https://www.duwamishtribe.org/
This is a grassroots movement that calls on people who live and work in Seattle to make rent payments to the Duwamish Tribe, the original inhabitants of the land. The history and culture of the Duwamish people are discussed, including the injustice they have faced from the government and the impact that the payments would have on social and cultural services available to the Duwamish. A site feature determines the proper amount of rent for them, and includes testimonials from other renters.
https://www.realrentduwamish.org/
Stand with the Duwamish to Restore Federal Acknowledgement
Representing a campaign to support the efforts of the Duwamish Tribe to gain federal recognition, accepting their argument that they are descendants of the original inhabitants of the Seattle area, who signed the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, but have not received federal recognition or treaty rights. The site includes information about Duwamish history and culture, and invites visitors to sign a petition to urge the U.S. government to honor the treaty and restore the rights of the tribe.
https://www.standwiththeduwamish.org/
