November
Native American Heritage Month
On August 3, 1990, President of the United States George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. The bill read in part that “the President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities”.
The People of the Inside, dxʷdəwʔabš, have have been in the Seattle/Greater King County area since time immemorial. The stories, such as "North Wind, South Wind", tell of the last Ice Age, and an Ice Weir breaking over the Duwamish River. They were the first signatories on the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855, signed by Chief Si'ahl, who was chief of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. The longhouse today stands across the street from where one of the largest villages, Ah Ha Poos, was located before it was burned down by settlers in 1895.
Duwamish Tribal Services
Duwamish Tribal Services, is a 501(c)3 organization established in 1983 by the Duwamish Tribal Council to promote the social, cultural, and economic survival of the Duwamish Tribe. They brought suite against the government in 1925 and received a positive judgement for claims in 1934, each member receiving a payment from the government in 1964. They filed their first petition for recognition in 1978 and have been working for that acknowledgement every since in the face of great odds. They are, to this day, still not recognized by the federal government as a tribe.
Real Rent
Real Rent calls on people who live and work in Seattle to make rent payments to the Duwamish Tribe. Though the city named for the Duwamish leader Chief Seattle thrives, the Tribe has yet to be justly compensated for their land, resources, and livelihood.
You can do something today to stand in solidarity with First Peoples of this land by paying Real Rent. All funds go directly to Duwamish Tribal Services (DTS) to support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe. Join this grassroots movement today! Become a Real Renter.
Julia Joe - Georgetown's Native Knitter
Julia, a Hulalt native from North Vancouver Island, made a home here in Georgetown after 1941 when her residency rights were revoked simply due to being married to an American native.
Julia, her mother, grandmother and three sisters knitted socks for Japanese fisherman in the 1920's. Viola Shirley, Julia's granddaughter, describes the historic art of preparing wool: "The long process involves washing the raw wool by hand hour or five times to remove the natural oils, hanging it each time in the yard in long, rough skeins to dry. Next, it's carded, passed through a machine which combs it, fluffing and stretching the material evenly into long pieces which are split and cut. Julia attaches this cotton candy-like stuff to a spinning machine as it whisks by, she twists and pulls it and it rapidly collects as heavy yard on a spindle. The yarn is washed one last time, then she is ready to knit."
Seattle Daily Times, c1974
Kikisoblu/Princess Angelina
Kikisoblu, the daughter of Chief Seattle was a friend to early Seattle pioneers. One of the pioneer women, Catherine Maynard, thought Kikisoblu should have a name that would let everyone know that she was the daughter of a great chief -- so she renamed her "Princess Angeline."