John Slocum facts for kids

Squ-sacht-un (born 1838 – died 1897), also known as John Slocum, was an important leader from the Squaxin Island Tribe, a group of Coast Salish people. He was known as a spiritual person and a prophet. In 1881, he started a new religion called the Indian Shaker Church.

John Slocum's Early Life

John Slocum was born in Mason County, Washington in 1838. When he was young, he learned about Christianity from missionaries working near Puget Sound in Washington. He lived on the Skokomish Indian Reservation. There, he went to a Presbyterian church and also learned about the Catholic Church. A Catholic priest even baptized him.

Slocum worked in the lumber industry, cutting and moving timber. He was very good at his job and became a foreman, leading a team of 14 workers. Eventually, he started his own logging company. To help move the wood, his team built special corduroy roads on the reservation.

His First Vision

In 1881, John Slocum became very sick. His family thought he had died, but after a few hours, he woke up. He said he had a powerful vision. In his vision, he went to the gates of heaven. There, he met an angel who told him he couldn't enter because of how he had lived his life.

The angel gave Slocum a choice: go to a bad place or return to Earth. If he returned, he had to teach his people a new way of life. He was told how to help Native American people find a path to a better spiritual life. This experience was similar to visions reported by other Native American prophets of that time.

After this vision, Slocum began teaching a message he called "Tschadam." He said that God wanted Native Americans to stop harmful behaviors like drinking and gambling. He also warned against certain traditional healers and their practices. Slocum felt he had a limited time to build a church and guide his people.

The Indian Shaker Church Begins

After his first vision, Slocum continued his logging work and started drinking again. About a year later, he became sick once more. While his wife, Mary Thompson Slocum, was taking care of him, she began to shake uncontrollably. When Slocum got better, he believed his wife's shaking was a spiritual sign that saved him from death.

Slocum then included shaking or twitching into his new religion. This practice was seen as a way to get rid of sin, sickness, or bad feelings. Because of this, non-Native people started calling the new faith the "Indian Shaker Religion."

Slocum and some of his followers faced difficulties. They were sometimes put in prison because they did not agree with government programs that tried to force Pacific Coast peoples to change their traditional ways. However, these challenges ended when the church officially became recognized in Oregon (1907), Washington (1910), and California (1932). By the late 20th century, more than 20 congregations had joined together, with about 3,000 members.

John Slocum's Legacy

John Slocum passed away in Oakland, Washington in 1897 and was buried in Shelton, Washington. After his death, his friend and former employee, Louis "Mud Bay Louie" Yowaluch, became the church leader. Later, Louis's brother, “Mud Bay Sam” Yowaluch, took over the leadership.

The Indian Shaker Religion is still practiced today. It combines many traditional Native beliefs and customs with Christian ideas about God, heaven, and hell.

See also

In Spanish: John Slocum para niños