Confederated Tribes
of the Chehalis Reservation
Chehalis coiled cedar root basket, collection of the Washington State History Museum
Total population
833 enrolled members[1]
Regions with significant populations
 United States ( Washington)
Languages
English and formerly Upper and Lower Chehalis languages[2]
Religion
traditional tribal religion
Related ethnic groups
other Chehalis, Klallam, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, and Quinault peoples[3]

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation is a federally recognized tribe located in Southwest Washington. The Confederation consists of the Upper and Lower Chehalis, Klallam, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, and Quinault peoples.[3] They are a part of the Northern Straits branch Central Coast Salish peoples of indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast.

The Confederated Tribes' traditional territories were along the Black, Chehalis, Cowlitz, Elk, Johns, Newaukum, Satsop, Shookumchuck, and Wynoochee Rivers, and included lands from the Southwest coast to the lower Puget Sound of Washington.[4]

Reservation

Location of Chehalis Reservation

The Chehalis Reservation ranges 4,438 acres (17.96 km2), and is home to more than 600 American Indians. The reservation was first established in 1860 for the Lower and Upper Chehalis people. Originally 4,224.63 acres (17.10 km2) larger, 3,753.63 acres (15.19 km2) of land was distributed to non-native settlers in 1866 via Executive Order. An additional 471 acres (1.91 km2) was given to schools. By 1906, fewer than 150 Chehalis people remained on the reservation and a 1984 survey found the population to be 382.[5]

Government

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation's headquarters is in Oakville, Washington. The Tribe is governed by a democratically elected five-member General Council. The existing constitution and bylaws were ratified on July 15, 1939.[5]

Chairmen

As of November 2022, Dustin Klatush serves as the current Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis.[6]

Past chairmen include:

  • Harry Pickernell Sr. (2017-2023)
  • Don Secena (2015 -2017)[6]
  • David Burnett ([7]

Language

English has become the common spoken language of the Tribe. Traditional languages include the Upper Chehalis and Lower Chehalis languages, which are derived from the Quinault languages of the Tsamosan branch of the Salish language family.[2] The last native speaker of the Upper Chehalis language died in 2001.[8]

Economic development

The Chehalis Tribe owns and operates Lucky Eagle Casino, Eagle’s Landing Hotel, Grand Buffet, Scatter Creek Grill, Prime Rib and Steakhouse, Sidewalk Deli in Rochester, Washington,[9] the Great Wolf Lodge Resort and Talking Cedar Brewing in Grand Mound, Washington. It also owns three convenience stores, a fast food restaurant, two construction companies, and a cigarette stamping business. The tribe employs 1,498 people.[1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Chehalis Tribe." Archived June 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Tsamosan." Ethnologue. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Pritzker 205
  4. ↑ "Our Story." Archived September 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine The Chehalis Tribes. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation." Archived October 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Governors Office of Indian Affairs. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Chehalis Tribe names Harry Pickernell Sr. its chairman," The Daily World. July 1, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Tribal Directory." National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Chehalis, Upper." Ethnologue. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Lucky Eagle Casino." 500 Nations. Retrieved September 18, 2013.

References

  • Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-513877-1.

46°49′04″N 123°11′42″W / 46.81778°N 123.19500°W / 46.81778; -123.19500

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