Who Are the Snoqualmie?
The Snoqualmie are an indigenous people of the Puget Sound region, with approximately 700 enrolled members in the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe (federally recognized since 1999). Their name means "People of the Moon" or "People from the Moon," reflecting creation stories of lunar origins. They speak Snoqualmie, a Southern Lushootseed (Salish) language now with no first-language speakers remaining. Traditional Snoqualmie territory included the Snoqualmie River valley, from Snoqualmie Falls to Puget Sound, in the heart of what is now the Seattle metropolitan area. Snoqualmie Falls—268 feet high—remains their most sacred site.
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls (Snoqualmie: sdukʷálbixʷ) is the spiritual center of Snoqualmie life. According to creation stories, the first Snoqualmie were lowered to earth on a rope at the falls; the mists rising from the waterfall carry prayers to the Creator. The falls were a major fishing site—salmon were taken from the plunge pool below. European settlement transformed the site: a power plant was built at the base in 1899, diverting water; a lodge overlooking the falls became a tourist destination. The Snoqualmie Tribe has worked to protect the falls from further development and restore appropriate respect for this sacred place.
Recognition Struggle
The Snoqualmie signed the Point Elliott Treaty (1855) but were never assigned a reservation. Dispersed among other tribes and non-Indian communities, they maintained community through a century of non-recognition. The federal acknowledgment process, begun in 1977, took over 20 years. The BIA denied recognition in 1997; a successful appeal finally achieved recognition in 1999. This long struggle—during which many other Point Elliott tribes were recognized—reflects the arbitrary nature of federal acknowledgment. Without a reservation, the Snoqualmie operate from purchased lands and exercise limited territorial sovereignty. Recognition came too late for many elders who had fought for decades.
Contemporary Snoqualmie
Modern Snoqualmie build tribal capacity after decades of non-recognition. The Snoqualmie Casino, opened in 2008, provides significant revenue for tribal programs. The tribe purchased land near the falls for cultural purposes and operates offices in Snoqualmie. Language revitalization works with recordings of deceased speakers; the language is being reconstructed from historical documentation. Cultural programs maintain connection to territory now occupied by 4 million people in the Seattle metropolitan area. Protecting Snoqualmie Falls from further development remains a priority. How the Snoqualmie exercise sovereignty without a reservation while maintaining cultural connections to their urbanized homeland shapes this recently-recognized tribe's future.
References
- Tollefson, K. D. (1989). \"Political Organization of the Duwamish\" (Ethnology)
- Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. (2020). Tribal History and Culture (Official website)
- Thrush, C. (2007). Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place