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Researched by Charlie Ann G.
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Research Report
An Indian is a Native American. Indians lived in the Yakima Valley long ago, but no living man knows how long. Indians had different cultures than we have today. They made things like baskets, shoes called moccasins, something called a cradleboard to carry babies in, and clothes out of animal skin. They also made things with beads made out of rocks, which are very beautiful. Male Indians hunted and fished while female Indians cooked, sewed, and gathered roots and berries.
Language
The Indians of the United States all spoke different languages.
One of these tribes was called the Yakama. They spoke the dialect
called the Shaptain. They lived in the Yakima Valley.
K-ta-tas (Kittitas) valley was a favorite place for this tribe to socialize
(gamble and powwow.) When horses entered the valley one Indian could
lose most prized possession-even his wife, when gambling on horse contests.
Basin
A long time ago the white man came to settle land that the Indians already camped, and fished on. The white man didn’t care what the Indians said, they just forced them to trade their land, that used to belong to their ancestors that lived long ago. The Indians refused but the white man threatened to kill them. On the 9th of June in 1855 Kamiakin, OW-HI and Skloom-famous chiefs of the Yakamas signed a peace treaty that basically gave away their land. They were forced to trade 16,920 square miles leaving 1,875 for themselves. Their land was being illegally settled and war started. It lasted from 1855-1856. The Yakama tribe historically was not very warlike. They were treated badly by the white man even while some were trying to make peace.
Chief Joseph of Nez Perce said:
"The earth was created by the assistance of the sun and it should be
left as it was. The country was created without lines of demarcation
and it is no man’s business to divide it. The earth and myself are
of one mind. The measure of the land and the measure of our bodies
are the same. Do not misunderstand but understand me fully with reference
to my affection for the land. I never said the land was mine
to do with it as I chose. The one who has a right to dispose of it
is the one who created it. I claim a right to live on my land and
accord you the privilege of yours."
~Chief Joseph of Nez Perce
EQUIPMENT
The equipment of the Yakama Indians used is very interesting.
For instance how they lived through the winter. The Yakama Indians
lived in teeepes all summer long, but when it turned winter they lived
in big holes called welchees. Welchees meant "dug out holes." they
were holes 12-18 ft. wide and 3-4 ft. deep. This was the Indians
winter quarters. They also dug holes called cache holes. These
were used for storing fishing equipment, and dry salmon in.
Only a tiny bit of evidence showed that Indians camped in the lower Selah
Valley. "It seems like Mother Nature has a way of covering her past
civilizations"
When the Indians left the Wenas Valley the white man dug and found
primitive arrowheads, stone knives and many other things.
Quote from Robert S. Lince -- The Selah Story
Tribe
The Yakama tribe was made up of little tribes called bands.
These Indians used them because if all of the Yakama Tribe were camping
together in one place there wouldn’t be enough food for all of them.
Some of the Bands were located: Near the Yah-inse (Yakima) River, in the
Ahtanum valley, near the present Union Gap, Toppenish plains, and near
the Toppenish Creek. In these bands there wasn’t an actual chief-
there was a leader. The leader would declare when the tribe moved
and where the best resources would be. Although the Indians didn’t
have to listen to the leader all of the time. The Leader could tell
an Indian to go hunt some more for the tribe and the Indian would usually
listen, but they didn’t have to.
Food
The Yakama tribe was a hunting and gathering tribe. Which means
that they hunted, and fished for their food. They also picked roots
and berries. They could even make pudding out of a plant. One of
the main berries that they picked was the Huckleberry. The food that
both men and women gathered were both of equal importance. (Men hunted
and fished and women gathered roots and berries.) If someone asked
an Indian from the tribe which is more important Women or men’s food?
The Indian would say that they are both of equal importance. In Indian
days the Yah-inse (Yakima) River was so chock full of salmon that Indians
said that it looks as if you could walk across on their backs.
How We Know
Archeological evidence of this area goes back to about 8,600 years ago.
We only know just a little bit of the past of this tribe because there
is only a tiny bit of evidence. When people were settling here they
found primitive arrowheads and stone knives that belonged to the Indians.
The speakers of Shahaptain (Yakama Tribe) have been in this area for at
least 4,600 years. Most Archeologists think that the first Indians
of the Yakama Indian Tribe came from Siberia, in Asia. Kamiakin was one
of the most important people in the past of this tribe. I hope that
you learned something from my report!
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