Skokomish Indian Tribe

The Skokomish Indian Tribe, formerly known as the Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, and in its own official use the Skokomish Tribal Nation, is a federally recognized tribe of Skokomish, Twana, Klallam, and Chimakum people. They are a tribe of Southern Coast Salish indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest located in Washington. The Skokomish are one of nine bands of Twana people.

Reservation

The Skokomish Reservation is located on several square miles of Mason County, just north of Shelton, Washington at 47°20′05″N 123°09′36″W / 47.33472°N 123.16000°W / 47.33472; -123.16000 (Skokomish Reservation). Some Klallam people were relocated onto the reservation after signing the 1855 Point No Point Treaty.

Government

The Skokomish Indian Tribe is headquartered in Skokomish, Washington. The tribe is governed by a seven-member, democratically-elected General Council. The current tribal administration is as follows:

Skokomish people

The Skokomish (pronounced /skoʊˈkoʊmɪʃ/) are one of nine tribes of the Twana, a Native American people of western Washington state in the United States. The tribe lives along Hood Canal, a fjord-like inlet on the west side of the Kitsap Peninsula and the Puget Sound basin. Historically the Twana were hunters, fishers, and gatherers who had a nomadic lifestyle during the warmer months, while living in more permanent homes during the winter months.

Today, Skokomish people are enrolled in the federally recognized Skokomish Indian Tribe.

Like many Northwest Coast indigenous peoples, the Skokomish rely heavily on fishing for their survival.

Name

The name "Skokomish" comes from the Twana sqʷuqʷóbəš, also spelled sqWuqWu'b3sH, and meaning "river people" or "people of the river". The Skokomish were one of the largest of the nine different Twana village communities that existed before about 1860. By their locations, the nine groups were the Dabop, Quilcene ("salt-water people"), Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hoodsport, Skokomish (Skoko'bsh), Vance Creek, Tahuya, and Duhlelap (Tule'lalap) communities. Within these nine communities there were at least 33 settlements.