Squaxin Island Tribe

In the sparkling waters of the southern Puget Sound, seven flowing inlets converge: dəxʷč̓aʔč̓aʔał Noo-Seh-Chatl (Henderson Inlet), st̓əč̓as Steh-Chass (Budd Inlet), sq̓ʷayaił Squi-Atl (Eld Inlet), təpikʷsəd T’Peeksin (Totten Inlet), sʔəhiw Sa-He-Wa-Mish (Hammersley Inlet), sqʷax̌səd Squaksin (Case Inlet), and sx̌əƛ̓əb S’Hotle-Ma-Mish (Carr Inlet).

For countless generations, the clean saltwater of these inlets, their abundant sea life, and the fertile forests lining their shores have sustained a vibrant culture and people. The descendants of these expert mariners comprise the Squaxin Island Tribe, whose government offices are located in the valley of Kamilche, near Shelton, WA.

The information offered here is not intended to represent a comprehensive or singular history; the stories shared here may differ from those told by others within the Squaxin Island Tribe or other Tribes. Any references made to usual and accustomed areas are intended for educational purposes, and should not be considered legal claims.

Ready to learn directly from the Squaxin Island Tribe, and to visit these life-giving waters yourself? Head to the Squaxin Island Museum Library and Research Center, where you can encounter the history of Squaxin through artifacts and storytelling in a building stylized architecturally after a traditional longhouse. Click below to find regular opening hours. We also recommend calling in advance to confirm: 360-432-3839.

Today’s Squaxin Island Tribe bears the name of the ancestors who lived along sqʷax̌səd (Squaksin), also known as Case Inlet. This large inlet connects several smaller waterways, bridging the surrounding lands and creating opportunities for trade and socialization.

The deep waters, healthy shorelines, and rich soil make sqʷax̌səd a place of abundance. The foodways of Squaxin Island ancestors were nutritious and held great cultural significance. Harvesting elk, deer, shellfish, salmon, and plants was accompanied by ceremonies that recognized the gift of life given by plant and animal relatives. These ancestral teachings persist today, honoring and respecting the nonhuman relatives.

As Americans moved to Squaxin territory in the 1800s, they brought with them very different understandings of land, plants, and animals. Rather than live in reciprocal relationships with these creatures, settlers (and the laws that governed them) saw resources to claim and exploit. While there were certainly happy encounters between settlers and Squaxin ancestors, the legal frameworks carried by newcomers would prove incompatible with preexisting Indigenous relationships to land and sea.

In December 1854, leaders of the Nisqually, Puyallup, Steilacoom, Squaksin, S’Hotlemamish, Steh-chass, T’Peeksin, Squi-aitl, and Sa-heh-wa-mish communities, along with Washington Territory Governor Isaac Stevens, signed the Treaty of Medicine Creek. The treaty negotiations were conducted in Chinook Jargon, even though Territorial officials were familiar with Lushootseed (the region’s indigenous language). As a trade language, Chinook Jargon had limited words to explain the complex agreements. The cultural norms of treaty negotiation, signing, and the text itself were unfamiliar to the area’s Indigenous peoples.

For these reasons, the Treaty of Medicine Creek was—and remains—a contentious document. The circumstances and terms of the agreement, in fact, prompted the United States to declare war against the Indigenous communities in the Puget Sound soon after its signing. Still, Indigenous leaders ensured that the treaty reserve their peoples’ right to fish, gather, harvest, and hunt as they always had. For its part, the U.S. government claimed authority over an enormous amount of land previously inhabited by Indigenous communities.

For more than a century following the Medicine Creek Treaty, the U.S. government ignored its treaty obligations. Tribal communities were forcibly removed from their expansive homelands and placed on Squaxin Island, an island of about two square miles without adequate food or freshwater. A once abundant life rich in food, spiritual nourishment, and social connection became one of scarcity as Indigenous communities adapted to the harsh conditions.

Still, Squaxin ancestors survived. Oral histories reveal the perseverance that sustained those on the island. For example, one Tribal member named Dick Jackson regularly paddled from Squaxin Island to what is now the man-made Capital Lake. This area was once an important estuary for salmon, where Jackson could harvest salmon to feed his people. Jackson kept paddling, even when hostile settlers shot at him.

As time passed, Squaxin ancestors left the island in search of employment, family, and better conditions. Today, there are no year-round residents of Squaxin Island, although Tribal members continue to visit the island that unites their past, present, and future.

Known as the People of the Water, the Squaxin people have long recognized the interdependence of land and sea. One group of Squaxin ancestors, called the dəxʷč̓aʔč̓aʔał  (Noo-Seh-Chatl), were a skilled maritime people living in the area known today as Henderson Inlet. Flowing into st̓əč̓as (Steh-Chass, also known as Budd Inlet) to the west and the Nisqually Reach to the east, the waters of Noo-Seh-Chatl nurtured daring navigators.

But the dəxʷč̓aʔč̓aʔał people’s seafaring skills relied upon the land, too. They forged trails through the surrounding forests, connecting villagers to the massive cedar trees used to carve canoes. Land trails also allowed for the quick exchange of trade and information, acting as a channel for the knowledge and goods gleaned from maritime trade to trickle inland. The convergence of land and sea at dəxʷč̓aʔč̓aʔał connected Squaxin ancestors to the resources, information, and social networks that enabled an abundant life.

Squaxin Island Tribal members also trace their lineage to st̓əč̓as (Steh-Chass), an ancient name for the place known today as Budd Inlet which includes the city boundaries of Olympia. With a wealth of natural resources and easy access to the Salish Sea, st̓əč̓as provided a setting for the exchange of resources, language, animals, and ideas. The st̓əč̓as watershed mingles the flowing fresh streams from the spəkʷəł (Deschutes River) with the saltwater of the sea, resulting in a complex ecosystem. Nearby inland forest hosted deer, elk, plant pharmaceuticals, migratory birds, and other boundless gifts. Towards the sea, salt marshes provided ecosystem protection, while freshwater creeks offered spawning beds for salmon and homes for beavers and otters. Kelp forests also flourished in the deep, cool sea waters.

The plentiful lands and waters of st̓əč̓as sustained the people, plants, and animals who lived there. But despite thousands of years spent in close relationship with the environment, the Squaxin Island Tribe would eventually be forced to fight for its ancestral right to harvest the bounties of the st̓əč̓as.

Nor was it nonindigenous vigilantes alone who targeted Tribal members. Official agents of the State of Washington repeatedly arrested and beat Tribal fishers exercising their treaty rights. Game wardens confiscated Tribal fishing boats, nets, motors, and even fresh catch.

But Washington’s Indigenous peoples knew that they held rights the State couldn’t deny. Long before treaties even existed, Squaxin ancestors spent thousands of years practicing their rights and responsibilities with the nonhuman natural world. With immeasurable ties to the waters of the seven inlets, the Squaxin Island Tribe joined their neighbors at Nisqually, Puyallup, and other Tribes in nonviolent resistance to the settler state. No matter how many times they were arrested or jailed, Tribal leaders like Billy Frank, Jr. (Nisqually & Squaxin), Ramona Bennett Bill (Puyallup), and Janet McCloud (Tulalip) exercised their right to fish as their ancestors had.

By the 1970s, this battle was playing out at the old Thurston County Courthouse in downtown Olympia. On February 12th, 1974, Judge George Boldt ruled that Tribal nations had granted settlers limited rights to fishing in the Medicine Creek Treaty. In turn, Tribes had reserved fifty percent of the available harvest for themselves. As co-managers with the State of Washington, the Squaxin Island Tribe now enjoys the legal affirmation of rights they’ve held since time immemorial.

Craving a respite from traffic or office drudgery? Check out Squaxin Park, a short 2.5 mile walk, drive, or bike ride from downtown Olympia. Secluded from the bustling streets of downtown, yet close enough for a lunchtime stroll or afterschool adventure, Squaxin Park offers scenic activities for all ages. Throughout the 314-acre nature park, visitors can enjoy around four miles of hiking trails, two miles of beachfront access, basketball courts, a playground, and picnic areas of various sizes.

Squaxin Park is notable not only for its picturesque trails and refreshing sea breeze, but also for its ties to Native Squaxin ancestors. The present-day location of Squaxin Park was once a vibrant port where the st̓əč̓as (Steh-Chass) people engaged in trade. Although Catholic missionaries displaced the st̓əč̓as in the mid-1800s, and park ownership went to the City of Olympia in 1905, the ties between st̓əč̓as and the area did not disappear. In 2022, the park was renamed Squaxin Park in recognition of the site’s indigenous roots—replacing the former name of Priest Point Park, which recognized the nineteenth-century Catholic mission there.

Today, Squaxin Park honors the enduring connections between Squaxin ancestors and the Salish Sea, where land and water converge to sustain travel, trade, and cultural exchange.

sʔəhiw̓ (Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish), today commonly known as Hammersley Inlet, is a narrow inlet of saltwater connecting the town of Shelton to the larger Salish Sea. At sʔəhiw, the water demands respect. As the tide ebbs, the inlet’s waters rush out at great speed, much like the flow of a strong river. For those traveling by water, these sudden changes in depth and speed can be deceptive.

Both saltwater and freshwater hold important places in Squaxin culture and spirituality. Whether fishing, navigating with a canoe, harvesting oysters, or simply observing the changing tides over time, the untamable power of the sea requires working with the water, rather than against it. Similarly, freshwater gives life to human and nonhuman creatures alike. sʔəhiw̓ (Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish) ancestors have spoken of a waterfall at the inlet’s entrance, where travelers could pause to drink and honor the life-giving freshwater.

The sʔəhiw̓ (Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish) area is notable for the indigenous religion that originated near its shores and spread via local water and land trails.

In 1881, a Squaxin ancestor named John Slocum lay sick near the shore of Skookum Bay. Despite the best efforts of Native doctors and healers, Slocum’s breath ceased flowing and his heartbeat pulsed no more. By all accounts, Slocum died that day.

Yet Slocum would rise soon after, telling those around him of the great light he saw while in the throes of death, and the angels who directed him back to earth.

Following this experience, Slocum and his wife Mary Thompson founded a religion that came to be called the Indian Shaker Church, where they would blend Christian teachings with Indigenous ones.

By the time of the church’s founding, the sʔəhiw̓ people had been intertwined with neighboring villages and expansive trade and kinship networks for many generations. The existing land trails, as well as the familiar maritime waters, provided pathways for the spread of the Indian Shaker Church teachings. With its emphasis on healing heart, spirit, and illness through community support, the ceremonial songs and other practices of the Indian Shaker Church resonated with indigenous peoples far and wide.

Today, the Indian Shaker Church maintains an active membership that carries forward its teachings. Though these followers may be widespread, they remain deeply connected to the waters of sʔəhiw̓, where the Indian Shaker Church religion was founded.

sq̓ʷayaił (Squi-Aitl) was once home to thriving villages of Squaxin ancestors and served as a key hub for travel and trade along the Salish Sea. Remnants of bone, stone, shell, baskets, and nets dated hundreds of years old reveal an important trade network.

Large shell middens in this area show that Squaxin ancestors consumed shellfish extensively for hundreds of years. Using terraces made with rocks or fallen trees, these ancestors actively cultivated the area’s only native oyster, today known as the Olympia oyster.

Today, the Tribe plays a major role in protecting and advocating for the Salish Sea ecosystem. With a robust Natural Resources Department, the Tribe partners with organizations including the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife, and others to advance natural resources enhancement and protection initiatives.

The Squaxin Island Tribe’s Natural Resources Department mission is to maintain a leadership role in perpetuating natural resources including water quality, fish, shellfish, wildlife, timber and plants, while promoting, preserving, protecting and restoring habitat. Mother Earth and her natural resources are the cultural foundation for the people of Squaxin Island.

The Olympia oyster is Washington’s only native oyster—and it has long been a hallmark of Squaxin cuisine. Historically, Squaxin ancestors smoked the oysters with wood from local forests or beaches to enhance the flavor. Smoked oysters were then dried and used as an important part of intertribal trading.

However, starting in the mid-1800s, the colonial government stifled these generational traditions and prevented Squaxin ancestors from planting and harvesting oysters for many years. After decades of legal claims, advocacy, and protest to assert their treaty rights, the Squaxin Island Tribe purchased Harstine Oyster Company in 1971. This purchase marked a new phase in Squaxin Island commercial harvesting.

Today, you can enjoy Olympia oysters harvested straight from the Salish Sea by Squaxin Island Tribal members. At Salish Seafoods, you’ll find an array of succulent oysters, tender manila clams, and scrumptious geoduck. Not only will you have a delicious meal to share with your loved ones—you’ll also be supporting the living legacy of the Squaxin Island Tribe. Place your order online and pickup at any Squaxin Island Trading Post location in Shelton, Tumwater, or Olympia.

With historically plentiful oyster beds and other marine life, təpikʷsəd (T’Peeksin) has long nurtured human life. It continues to provide for the Squaxin Island people, whose relationships to the physical environment are informed by the principle of gʷədᶻadad. gʷədᶻadad is a form of Indigenous ecological knowledge translated from Lushootseed as “the teachings of our ancestors.” For the Squaxin people, gʷədᶻadad represents the braiding of ancestral teachings with the science of the natural environment.

gʷədᶻadad teachings are the foundation of Squaxin cultural identity and sovereignty. Together, these teachings facilitate a holistic understanding of physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and—most importantly—environmental wellbeing.

Read this story about the first salmon to understand how gʷədᶻadad teachings are passed down:

Imagine boarding a canoe to launch from shore before sunrise, with only the moon and stars to light your way. For Squaxin navigators, sx̌əƛ̓əb (S’Hotl-Ma-Mish) offers one such opportunity. For generations, these navigators have traversed the waters of the South Puget Sound in great cedar canoes. But the canoe itself is just one aspect of an intimate connection between people, environment, and culture.

For example, environmental factors such as weather, tides, and currents all influence how a canoe moves through water. Canoe skippers and pullers must develop precise mental maps of marine landscapes, shoal spits, mountaintops, and moon phases. To keep the crew safe, canoe skippers monitor tides, whirlpools, and wave patterns in all conditions.