𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑬𝑭 𝑺𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬, 𝑺𝑷𝑨𝑾𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝑨𝑳𝑴𝑶𝑵, 𝑻𝑨𝑯𝑶𝑴𝑨, 𝑾𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑻𝑶𝑵 𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀

                                                                     

Painting of Chief Seattle, Salmon returning to birthplace during spawning, Tahoma, the Indigenous name for the mountain many call Mount Rainier

Studying Washington State history in school, it was all about the indigenous people who inhabited the area before so many former Europeans came from back east via the Oregon Trail.  

The only complaint I ever heard about indigenous people was their greater access to fishing opportunities than the jealous licensed and restricted "pale faces."  My dad was obsessed with steelhead trout, but his fishing trips were rarely successful. 

I preferred to watch the salmon in the fall return to their birthplace to spawn in freshwater rivers and creeks, after from 2-5 years in the ocean.  The creek behind our house was absolutely filled with mainly Chinook salmon in the fall, the fish even navigating a small waterfall.  

But, the fishing issue had been settled in the 1850's, when several tribes in Washington Territory signed treaties with the United States, giving up much of their land while explicitly reserving the right to fish, hunt, and gather at their traditional sites. These rights were meant to last forever. By the mid-20th century, however, state authorities increasingly restricted tribal fishing, leading to protests, including the “fish-ins” of the 1960s and early 1970s.

                                           

A turning point came in 1974 with the federal court case United States v. Washington, known as the Boldt decision. Judge George Boldt ruled that tribes were entitled to up to half of the harvestable fish in their traditional areas, both on and off reservations, and in all waters historically used by the tribes. He also recognized tribes as co-managers of Washington’s fisheries alongside the state, giving them authority over seasons, gear, and conservation. This decision allowed tribes to sustain themselves through fishing and remains a cornerstone of U.S. treaty rights law, guiding fisheries management and affirming tribal sovereignty. Today, tribal and state managers continue to work together under this framework.

Another primary subject of our school studies was Chief Seattle, leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes respected for his diplomacy and his deep understanding of humanity’s connection to nature. He guided his people through negotiations with the U.S. government over the sale of tribal lands in the Puget Sound region, easing tensions and fostering dialogue. The city of Seattle, of course, named in his honor. His most famous legacy is a speech emphasizing that people and the land are inseparable, calling for respect for Indigenous traditions and the natural world. Over time, his words have inspired environmental movements worldwide, reminding humanity that we are part of nature and must protect its delicate balance.

Come to think of it, most every town in Washington state bears a name with Indigenous origin: Seattle, Tacoma, Yakima, Snoqualmie, Tukwila, Puyallup, Wenatchee, Issaquah and many, many others.

          

In the woods of Western Washington, you'll find trilliums, beautiful flowers illegal to pick bringing fines or even jail time.  They're legally protected because they take so long to grow, 5-8 years from seed to a mature plant, as long as 18 years for the first flower to bloom