Lower Skagit facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 300 (1855) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States (Washington) |
|
| Languages | |
| English, Lushootseed | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, Indigenous | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Coast Salish peoples |
The Lower Skagit people are a Native American tribe. They are part of the Lushootseed-speaking peoples. Sometimes they are called the Whidbey Island Skagits. Today, many Lower Skagit people are part of the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation in Washington.
Contents
History of the Lower Skagit
Life Before European Contact
Before Europeans arrived, the Lower Skagit tribe lived on about 56,300 acres of land. This land included parts of central Whidbey Island. They also lived near the mouth of the Skagit River on the mainland.
The Lower Skagit sometimes had conflicts with other groups. Haida people from the north would raid their camps. They would capture people during these raids. The Klallam people from across the Puget Sound also tried to take over their lands.
Like other Coast Salish tribes, the Lower Skagit moved around with the seasons. Their lives depended on food from the sea. They caught salmon using special traps called fish weirs. They also used nets pulled between two canoes. They hunted ducks, seals, and deer. They also gathered many kinds of nuts and fruits. They grew plants like camas roots, nettles, and bracken. After Europeans arrived, they also started growing potatoes.
Changes After European Contact
During the time of the fur trade, the Lower Skagit traded actively. They traded with the Hudson's Bay Company. By the 1840s, Catholic missionaries began to arrive. People like François Blanchet and Jean-Baptiste Bolduc tried to teach the Lower Skagit about their beliefs.
In 1841, an explorer named Charles Wilkes met the Lower Skagit people. He was part of the United States Exploring Expedition. He saw that the Lower Skagit were building a Catholic church.
In January 1855, a Lower Skagit chief named Goliah signed the Treaty of Point Elliott. This treaty created special lands called reservations for many coastal tribes. About 300 Lower Skagit people were then under the care of the Tulalip Agency.
Later, in September 1873, a special order from the government moved the tribe. The Lower Skagit, along with the Swinomish and other tribes, moved to the Swinomish Reservation. This reservation is on Fidalgo Island in Skagit County, Washington.
In the 1900s, the tribe asked the government for money. They felt they had not been paid enough for the land they lost because of the Point Elliott Treaty. On October 13, 1971, the Indian Claims Commission agreed. They ordered that US$74,856.50 be paid to the Lower Skagit. This money was to make up for the land they had lost.
Swinomish Reservation Today
The Swinomish Indian Reservation covers about 31.381 square kilometers (12.116 square miles). In the year 2000, 2,664 people lived there. About 23 percent of these people said they were only of Native American heritage.
Like many groups in America, the tribe has a history of people marrying others from different backgrounds. However, children of the tribe still identify as Lower Skagit. Today, many Lower Skagit members who live on the reservation work as commercial fishers.
Language
The language of the Lower Skagit is a special type of the Northern Lushootseed dialect.
