Nice to see the state make native history a part of public school curriculum in Washington in 2015. (Article, “Newly signed law requires tribal history, culture in curriculum.”
Too bad students in Snohomish County won’t be able to study the Snohomish Tribe — as they are not federally recognized. And the Duwamish (and Chief Seattle) are not federally recognized. And there will be no study of the Chinook Tribe that helped Lewis and Clark on their historic expedition. Not the Steilacooms (near Tacoma), not the Snoqualmoo of Whidbey Island, not the Mitchell Bay Band of the San Juan Islands, not the Noo-Wa-Ha Band and other unrecognized Northwest tribes. Now there’s something to study in school!
Even though half of these tribes signed treaties with the Unites State government in the 1850s, they are still not recognized (meaning they have no fishing and hunting rights, no land rights, and other legal rights guaranteed under the signed treaty.) The Snohomish Tribe alone had 10 chiefs sign the Point Elliot treaty of 1855.
Unfortunately, Washington state officials have a long and atrocious historical record in their treatment of native Americans (as do others), so this behavior is not surprising, though it’s especially disappointing in 2015.
Something smells fishy and it’s not the salmon.
Ted Neff
Edmonds
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