Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe of Washington facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 314 enrolled members | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States Washington |
|
| Languages | |
| English, Lushootseed dialect (endangered) | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (incl. syncretistic forms) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Salishan tribes of coastal Northwest, especially Skagit, Swinomish |
The Sauk-Suiattle (Lushootseed: saʔqʷəbixʷ-suyaƛ̕ʔbixʷ), also called Sah-Ku-Me-Hu, is a recognized Native American tribe. They live in western Washington state in the United States. Long ago, the tribe lived along the Sauk, Suiattle, Cascade, Stillaguamish, and Skagit rivers. This area is known as Sauk Prairie, near Whitehorse Mountain.
The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Reservation is located in this region. It is close to the town of Darrington. The reservation has two parts. The larger part is in southern Skagit County. It covers about 33.5 acres. Most of the tribe's members live here. The smaller part is in northern Snohomish County. It is about 12.1 acres and has no residents.
Contents
History of the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe
The Sauk-Suiattle tribe is part of a larger group of tribes in the area. These include the Skagit people. They all shared similar ways of life and spoke dialects of Lushootseed. This language belongs to the bigger Salishan language family.
Traditional Life and Land
The Sauk-Suiattle people were skilled at fishing and hunting. They especially relied on salmon and mountain goats for food. Their historic lands stretched from the Fraser River in the north to what is now Highway 2 in the south. To the west, their territory reached the Salish Sea. To the east, it went into Eastern Washington.
They had homes in Sauk Prairie and other areas like Rockport and Trafton. The tribe also traded with other tribes living east of the Cascade Mountains. They traveled downriver to visit communities on Puget Sound.
Changes and Challenges
In 1855, the Point Elliott Treaty was signed. This agreement was made between Washington Territory and the local Native American tribes. A sub-chief signed the treaty after the main chief did not want to give up their traditional lands.
Later, in 1884, new settlers moved into Sauk Prairie. The tribe's village there, which had eight traditional cedar longhouses, was taken over. Some tribe members moved to the Swinomish Indian Reservation. This reservation, like the Tulalip Reservation, was home to people from many different Coast Salish tribes.
The tribe's population became much smaller over time. By 1924, only a few members remained. They tried to get their traditional lands back, but their requests were not approved. This was because they were seen as part of the Upper Skagit tribe.
How the Tribe is Governed
In 1946, the Sauk-Suiattle tribe started working to become a separate, recognized group. They applied through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1973, the United States government officially recognized them as a tribe. Their written constitution, which is like their rulebook, was approved in 1975.
Tribal Council
The tribe elects seven members to their Tribal Council. These members serve for three years. They also elect a chairman and a vice-chairman. These leaders help make decisions for the tribe.
Tribe Members and Rights
Today, the tribe has about 400 members. To become a member, a person must have at least one-quarter Native American heritage. This means one of their grandparents must have been a Native American recorded in this valley in the 1942 federal census.
The Sauk-Suiattle tribe has fishing rights on the rivers. These rights come from the Point Elliott Treaty. They work with the Swinomish tribe as part of the Skagit River System Cooperative. This group helps manage the rivers and fishing.
Tribal Businesses
The tribe runs a smokeshop and a country store. These businesses help support the tribe's economic growth. In September 2018, they opened a casino and bingo hall on State Route 530. The casino was open for a few months.
Community Events
The Sauk-Suiattle tribe holds an annual pow-wow in August. A pow-wow is a gathering where Native American people celebrate their culture. They also have traditional stickgames at the same time.
Language of the Tribe
The Sauk-Suiattle language is a dialect of Lushootseed. This language belongs to the Salishan family of Native American languages. Many Salishan languages are now endangered, meaning fewer and fewer people speak them. Most speakers are elders.
