In this portion of our web guide to the American Indian and First Nations people, we will focus on the Swinomish people, who traditionally resided in northern Puget Sound, in what is now Skagit County, Washington.
Their traditional homeland included the coastal areas surrounding Skagit, Padilla, and Fidalgo bays, as well as several offshore islands, such as Camano, Fidalgo, and Whidbey.
Like many other Northwest Pacific Coast tribes, the Swinomish were known for canoes and longhouses.
Extended families resided in longhouses, made of cedar planks, in which each family would have its own space, separated by a partition. Larger longhouses were also built to host ceremonies and community events. When the fishing season was over, the people would gravitate to the longhouse for ceremonies, some of which would last half a day.
Due to an abundance of salmon, the Swinomish were primarily a fishing people. The Swinomish people caught, preserved, and stored salmon for food during the winter months. A common method of preservation was by drying salmon, which was done by carefully cutting the fish into strips, which were then air-dried. By removing the moisture, this process extended the shelf life of salmon, concentrated its flavors, and served as a source of food during lean times. Salting and drying were also used for preservation. By coating the fish with salt, moisture was drawn out, thus inhibiting the growth of bacteria and microorganisms that cause spoilage. Some Swinomish people dug underground pits to store salmon, as the cool, dry environment extended the safe storage period for the fish.
The Swinomish people also traveled the Puget Sound area during the summer months, gathering berries and other edibles for the winter or for those years when there was not an abundance of salmon.
Although the Puget Sound area was visited by European explorers as early as 1500, three centuries would pass before Europeans arrived in large numbers.
Once they came, however, massive changes in the lifestyle of the Swinomish people resulted. In the 19th century, the Swinomish people were overwhelmed by the growing dominance of European settlers. The Point Elliot Treaty of 1855 assigned them to a reservation. The Swinomish and neighboring tribes also came under the influence of the Catholic Church during the same time period. The Bureau of Indian Affairs prohibited spirit dancing and several other traditional practices. Longhouses were burned, citing public health measures, and the last of the historic longhouses collapsed in the 1940s.
The 1862 census stated that Skagit County was first settled by loggers, largely from Maine, ignoring the Indigenous people who had been there for millennia.
With increasing pressure on natural resources and a greatly diminished land area, many Swinomish were forced to move to different areas for employment, mostly in logging, milling, and farming. In the late 1800s, large portions of Swinomish reservation land were lost to federal allotment policies, in which tribal territory was allotted to individual families, and unallotted land was designated as surplus land and made available to white settlers. Much of the land allotted to tribal members was later seized for non-payment of taxes or sold in order to meet the financial needs of the families.
The Indian Reorganization Act of 1935 created the current Swinomish Indian Tribe, which includes Swinomish as well as Samish, Kikyalus, and Lower Skagit people. The tribe's headquarters is in Swinomish Village, across the Swinomish Channel from La Conner. Its contemporary population is just under one thousand.
Websites representing the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community government, its businesses, enterprises, schools, medical facilities, and other entities, including programs and events, are appropriate topics for this category, as are businesses or organizations operated by individual members of the Swinomish Tribe or unenrolled Swinomish people. Informational sites highlighting the Swinomish people may also be featured here.
Recommended Resources
The clinic is located on March Point Road in Anacortes, Washington, and serves the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. It offers a wide range of services, including substance use disorder counseling, mental health counseling, psychiatric medication management, primary medical care, medication-assisted therapies, dental care, and other services. The clinic's location, business hours, contacts, and an online inquiry form are posted. Career opportunities are included.
https://www.didgwalic.com/
Owned and operated by the Swinomish Tribe, the hotel and casino is located in Anacortes, Washington. The address, directions, contacts, and office hours are posted on the site, along with an overview of its gaming rules and operations, and lodging options, which include standard rooms, bay view rooms, deluxe bay view rooms, suites, and recreational vehicle spaces, with online bookings. Its dining facilities, entertainment, golfing, and information about its Rewards programs are included.
https://www.swinomishcasinoandlodge.com/
Swinomish Climate Change Initiative
In 2007, the Swinomish Tribal Senate passed the nation's first resolution, creating a climate change initiative. This website is intended to inform the public and neighboring communities about the steps the Swinomish are taking to address perceived climate change. It includes workshops, climate action campaigns, and an online contact form. Technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, contributions of the community, and the text of the Initiative may be accessed online.
https://www.swinomish-climate.com/
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
The federally recognized tribe occupies the Swinomish Reservation in the State of Washington. Governed by the Swinomish constitution and bylaws, its governing structure is featured, including contacts and meeting schedules, a mission statement, various reports and other documents, and an introduction to the Swinomish people. The tribe's departments, programs, and member services are posted, and its enterprises, community events, and other resources are included.
https://swinomish-nsn.gov/
The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community owns and operates three markets in Washington State: the Swinomish Market at the Casino in Anacortes, the Swinomish Market at the Links in Anacortes, and the Swinomish Market at the Village in La Connor. Directions, maps, days and hours of operation, and telephone numbers for each are posted, along with an online contact form, career opportunities, photographs, and an overview of what is offered at each of these locations.
https://swinomishmarkets.com/
A department of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, the Tax Authority collects taxes enacted through the Swinomish Trust Improvement Use and Occupancy Tax Code, which applies to individuals who own a home, commercial structure, or other improvement on leased trust land within the Swinomish Indian Reservation. The website discusses some of the services that revenue contributions have helped fund. Various forms and files are available, and property searches can be made online.
https://swinomishtax.us/
Here, the Swinomish people's history, culture, traditions, and contemporary state are outlined, along with the tribe's governing body, including its senate, committees, tribal code, maps, and perspective on the Swinomish Reservation. Tribal departments, services, programs, facilities, and publications are highlighted, along with information and links to the separate websites of tribal-owned enterprises and businesses, and upcoming events and activities are published on the site.
https://swinomish.org/
