A Makah Woman

The Makah (pronounced /məˈkɑː/, from the Klallam name for the tribe, màq̓áʔa)^[1] are a Native American people from the most northwestern corner of the Continental United States in the State of Washington. The Makah tribe lives in and around the town of Neah Bay, Washington, a small fishing village along the Strait of Juan de Fuca where it meets the Pacific Ocean. Their reservation on the northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula includes Tatoosh Island. The Makah people refer to themselves as "Kwih-dich-chuh-ahtx" (Q^widiččaʔa·t) which translates as "the people who live by the rocks and seagulls".^[2][1] This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x839, 51 KB)Makah woman. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x839, 51 KB)Makah woman. ... Klallam (also Clallam) is a Straits Salishan language natively called , spoken by Klallam peoples. ... Neah Bay is a town on the Makah Indian reservation, in Clallam County, Washington, United States. ... The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates Vancouver Island of British Columbia from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. ... Makah Reservation is an Indian reservation for the Makah located on the most northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. ... The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. ... Tatoosh Island is an island about a half mile off Cape Flattery on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. ...

History

Pre-colonial

Archaeological research suggests that the Makah people have inhabited the area now known as Neah Bay for more than 3800 years. The ancient Makah lived in villages, inhabiting large long houses made from western red cedar. These longhouses had cedar-plank walls. The planks could be tilted or removed to provide ventilation or light. The cedar tree was of great value to the Makah, who utilized its bark to make clothing and hats. Cedar roots were used in basket making, while canoes were carved from whole trees to hunt seals, gray whales and humpback whales. The Makah acquired much of their food from the ocean. Their diet consisted of whale, seal, fish, and a wide variety of shellfish. They would also hunt deer, elk, and bear from the surrounding forests. Much that is known about the way of life of the ancient Makah is derived from their oral tradition. There is also an abundance of archeological evidence of how the Makah lived. A longhouse at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. ... Species Thuja plicata Western Redcedar, Thuja plicata, a species of thuja, is an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to the northwestern US and southwestern Canada, from southern Alaska and British Columbia south to northwest California and inland to western Montana. ... This article is about the animal. ... Families Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Pinnipeds (fin-feet, lit. ... Oral tradition or oral culture is a way of transmitting history, literature or law from one generation to the next in a civilization without a writing system. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ...

Smallpox Epidemic

In 1852, a Makah made sex with a HOT BABE

Ozette Dig

In the early 1700s, a mudslide completely engulfed part of a Makah village near Lake Ozette. The mudslide preserved several houses and their contents in a collapsed state until the 1970s when they were excavated by Makahs and archaeologists from Washington State University. Over 55,000 artifacts were recovered, representing many activities of the Makahs, from whale and seal hunting to salmon and halibut fishing; from toys and games to bows and arrows. The oral history of the Makah mentions a "great slide" which engulfed a portion of Ozette long ago. Lake Ozette is the third largest natural lake in Washington state at 29. ...

Archaeological test pits were excavated at the Ozette site in 1966 and 1967 by Richard Daugherty^[3]. However, it wasn't until 1970 that it would become apparent what was buried there. After a storm in February of that year, tidal erosion exposed hundreds of well preserved wooden artifacts. The excavation of the Ozette site began shortly after. University students from Washington State University worked with the Makah under the direction of archaeologists using pressurized water to remove mud from six buried long houses. The excavation went on for 11 years and produced over 55,000 artifacts, many of which are on display in the Makah Cultural and Research Center. The museum opened in 1979 and displays replicas of cedar long houses as well as whaling, fishing, and sealing canoes. Washington State University (WSU) is a major public research university in Pullman, Washington. ...

Treaty of Neah Bay

A Makah settlement, circa 1900.

On January 31st, 1855, the select Makah tribe representatives signed the Treaty of Neah Bay with the U.S. federal government, reducing the size of their traditional lands to what it is now. The treaty allowed for the establishment of the Makah Reservation and preserved the right of the Makah people to hunt whales and seals.^[4] The Makah language was not used during the negotiation of the treaty and the government used the Salish name for the tribe. Makah is actually an incorrect pronunciation of a Salish term meaning "generous with food".^[5] Image File history File links MakahIndians. ... Image File history File links MakahIndians. ... The Treaty of Neah Bay was a treaty between the United States and The Makah Indians, signed in 1855. ... Makah Reservation is an Indian reservation for the Makah located on the most northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. ... The Coast Salish are a Salishan-speaking First Nations/Native American culture that inhabited an area centered in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and western Washington in the United States for several millennia up to the time of arrival of the Europeans in the 19th century. ...

Whaling

Makah oral history relates that their tradition of whaling has been suspended and re-established several times throughout their history. The practice was suspended in the 1920s due to the depletion of humpback and gray whale stocks by the coastal whaling industry. After the gray whale was removed from the Endangered Species List due to population increases, the Makah decided to exercise their right to hunt. After receiving the support of the US government and the International Whaling Commission, the Makah successfully hunted a gray whale on May 17, 1999. Aboriginal whaling is the hunting of whales carried out by aboriginal groups who have a tradition of whaling. ... This is a list of all endangered species listed by the federal government. ... International Whaling Commission Logo The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was set up by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW)[1] on December 2, 1946 to promote and maintain whale fishery stocks. ...

The Makah whaling technique is difficult and labor intensive. From cedar canoes, each seating six to nine people, and more recently, from small fishing vessels, they hunt in the Pacific Ocean adjacent to their territory. Various traditional criteria are used to determine the best whale to harvest. By counting the whale's exhalations, the hunters are able to determine when the whale is about to dive, and this is used to determine the best time to strike. Approaching the whale's left side, the hunter strikes when the whale is 3-4 feet deep, to avoid the force of the whale's tail. The harpoon is 16-18 feet long, composed of two pieces of yew wood spliced together. Historically, a mussel shell tip was used, in conjunction with barbs from elk horns. In recent times, a steel "yankee style" head is used, but the yew wood shaft is still employed, due to its superior flexibility, water resistance, and strength. Held fast to the whale, the harpoon shaft comes loose, to be recovered later, and a line is thrown from the canoe with seal skin floats attached, to provide sufficient drag to weaken the whale. In the past, a series of smaller lances were used to repeatedly strike the whale, gradually weakening and killing it, often over a period of hours, and in some cases, days. Recently, this technique has been replaced with the use of a big game rifle, which is used following the harpoon strike to ensure a more efficient kill. The International Whaling Commission permits four cartridges in whaling: .458 Winchester Magnum, .460 Weatherby Magnum, .50 BMG, and the .577 Tyrannosaur, which the Makah fired in the 1999 hunt^[6]. Once the whale has been killed, a crew member called the "diver" jumps into the water, and cuts a hole through the bottom and top of the whale's jaw, to which a tow line and float are attached. This holds the whale's mouth shut and prevents the carcass from filling with water and sinking. The . ... .303 in. ... .50 BMG rounds and 20MM Vulcan round, with a golf ball and a stick of RAM posed to provide scale. ... The . ...

The whale is towed to shore, and received by members of the village. Traditional ceremonies and songs are performed to welcome the whale's spirit. Following this, the whale is divided in a precise and traditional fashion, with certain families having ownership of particular cuts. The "saddle piece" located midway between the center of the back and the tail is the property of the harpooner, and it is taken to his home where a special ceremony is performed. The meat and oil is distributed to community members, and a great deal of it is consumed during a potlatch. For other uses, see Potlatch (disambiguation). ...

The Makah assert that their right to whale is guaranteed in the 1855 Treaty (see above), which states in part: "The right of taking fish and of whaling or sealing at usual and accustomed grounds and stations is further secured to said Indians in common with all citizens of the United States."

On September 8, 2007, five members of the Makah tribe shot a gray whale using a .460 caliber rifle, similar to that used in hunting elephants, in spite of court imposed regulations governing the Makah hunt. The whale died within 12 hours, sinking while heading out to sea after being confiscated and cut loose by the United States Coast Guard. ^[7] The tribal council denounced the killing and announced their intention to try the individuals in tribal court.[3]

Contemporary culture

Tribal flag

In 1936, the Makah Tribe signed the Makah Constitution, accepting the Indian Reorganization Act and establishing an elected tribal government. The constitution provided for a five member Tribal Council. Each year the council elects a Tribal Chairperson. The Council develops and passes laws for the Makah Reservation. Image File history File links Bandera_Makah. ... Image File history File links Bandera_Makah. ... The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, also known as the Wheeler-Howard Act or informally, the Indian New Deal, was a U.S. federal legislation which secured certain rights to Native Americans, including Alaska Natives. ...

Tribal census data from 1999 show that the Makah Tribe has 1214 enrolled members, though only 1079 live on the reservation. The average unemployment rate on the reservation is approximately 51%.

The Makah tribe hosts its annual major public gathering, Makah Days, in late August. It features a grand parade and street fair as well as canoe races, traditional games, singing, dancing, feasting, and fireworks.

Currently, many Makah tribal members derive most of their income from fishing. Makah fish for salmon, halibut, Pacific whiting, and other marine fish. For other uses, see Salmon (disambiguation). ... This article is about the flatfish species; for the United States Navy ships named Halibut see USS Halibut. ... Binomial name (Ayres, 1855) The North Pacific hake, Pacific hake, or Pacific whiting, Merluccius productus, is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the north east Pacific Ocean from northern Vancouver Island to the northern part of the Gulf of California, from the surface to depths of 1...

Language

Main article: Makah language

The Makah tribe linguistically belongs to the Southern Nootkan branch of the Wakashan family of languages among North American indigenous peoples.The Makah language, also known as q^wi·q^wi·diččaq (qwiqwidicciat) is the only Wakashan language in the United States, with the other members in British Columbia, Canada, immediately across the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the west coast of Vancouver Island and northwards as far as that province's Central Coast region. The Makah language is the Indigenous language spoken by the Makah people. ... Wakashan is a family of languages spoken around Vancouver Island. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Wakashan is a family of languages spoken around Vancouver Island. ... Motto: Splendor sine occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 36 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 5th Total 944... The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates Vancouver Island of British Columbia from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. ... Vancouver Island is separated from mainland British Columbia by the Strait of Georgia and the Queen Charlotte Strait, and from Washington by the Juan De Fuca Strait. ... The British Columbia Coast is one of Canadas two continental coastlines; the other being the coastline from the Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean via the Northwest Passage and Hudson Bay to the Ungava Peninsula and Labrador and the Gulf of St. ...

Makah in popular culture

• The final scene of Jim Jarmusch's 1995 film Dead Man takes place in a reconstructed Makah village. Many of the actors featured in the scene are Makah tribal members and there is dialogue in the Makah language.
• The book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer contains references to the Makah people.

Jim Jarmusch Jim Jarmusch (born January 22, 1953 in Akron, Ohio) is a noted American independent film director. ... Dead Man is a 1995 film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. ... For other uses, see Twilight (disambiguation). ... Stephenie Meyer (born December 24, 1973 in Connecticut) is the author of the book Twilight and its sequels New Moon and Eclipse. ...

See also

• Nuu-chah-nulth language
• Nitinat language
• Wakashan languages
• Hoh

Nuu-chah-nulth (also called Nootka) is a Wakashan language spoken in the Pacific Northwest on the west coast of Vancouver Island from Barkley Sound to Quatsino Sound in British Columbia by the Nuu-chah-nulth people. ... Nitinaht (also Nitinat, Ditidaht, Southern Nootkan) is a South Wakashan (Nootkan) language spoken on the southern part of Vancouver Island. ... Wakashan is a family of languages spoken around Vancouver Island. ... Hoh is a Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. ...

References

Further reading

• Swan, James Gilchrist (1870). The Indians of Cape Flattery : at the entrance to the Strait of Fuca, Washington Territory. Smithsonian Institution. Available online through the Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection

James Gilchrist Swan (January 11, 1818 - May 18, 1900) was an Indian Agent in what is now Washington state, U.S.A., who is known for his work collecting artifacts and for writing the first ethnography of the Makah tribal group, among whom he lived. ...

External links

• Official Makah Indian Nation website
• Makah photos and other items from the Library of Congress
• 1937 Corporate Charter of the Makah from a University of Oklahoma website
• Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board - Makah Tribe Profile
• Makah Whaling Misunderstood, from a University of Oregon archaeologist's website
• University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – The Pacific Northwest Olympic Peninsula Community Museum A web-based museum showcasing aspects of the rich history and culture of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula communities. Features cultural exhibits, curriculum packets and a searchable archive of over 12,000 items that includes historical photographs, audio recordings, videos, maps, diaries, reports and other documents.
  • Makah Cultural and Research Center Online Museum Exhibit History and culture of the Makah tribe.
• Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission