Culture History
Life Style
The Klallam lived off the land and the water given to them by the creator. They traveled mainly by canoe, but also had many trails. They had runners that delivered messages from village to village. It has been a common misperception that the Klallam did not travel into the mountains. Klallam families not only traveled up and over the Olympic Mountains to gather medicinal plants, berries, bear grass, and cattails and to hunt for bear, deer and elk; they also lived in upriver villages on a seasonal basis, and in some places year round. The Elwha was a natural byway for subsistence activities, but also for social gatherings. One Klallam mother hiked up the Elwha and over to Taholah at the mouth of the Quinault River every summer with her five children to visit relatives there. The Klallam considered the Olympic mountains sacred and revere the mountains' glory.
Explorer
The earliest record of Klallam contact occurred in July 1788, when Robert Duffin, an Englishman sent on a longboat expedition from the west coast of Vancouver Island. In 1790 maritime exploration brought Spanish travelers to Klallam Territory. In July of that year Manuel Quimper anchored his boat in Freshwater Bay near the Elwha River. In 1792 George Vancouver set off on an expedition to explore and map the Puget Sound area for the first time. These early explorers brought with them epidemics which the indigenous people had no immunity against. Whole villages were decimated. Smallpox was not the only disease that cut deeply in to the Indian population: epidemics of measles, influenza, tuberculosis, and others took heavy tolls. This situation greatly aided white settlement of the Pacific Northwest, which otherwise may have met strong resistance. In 1847 the Canadian artist Paul Kane crossed the Straits from Victoria and visited the village at Ennis Creek, _________. Kane made several drawings and paintings of the Klallam, including this village. His painting of _________ was used as a model for the mural painted in 1997 by Cory Ench at the City Pier.
Villages & GovernmentsHistorically the Klallam people lived throughout the northern Olympic Peninsula and were united by language and kinship. There were also villages on both sides of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. There were approximately 33 village sites from the Hoko River on the west to Puget Sound on the east. Downtown Port Angeles was once a thriving Klallam village known as _________. Settlers began arriving in the 1860's. Port Angeles and other towns were established around that time. The homesteaders pushed many Klallam from their traditional home sites. Some Klallam purchased land, but found that because they were not considered U.S. citizens, they were unable to obtain title to their ancestral holdings. When the 1884 Indian Homestead Act passed, several Klallam families eventually became land owners. But, in taking up homesteads, the Klallam had to sever tribal relations. Many did not want to do this and therefore had to leave their home sites. Landless Klallam families moved to the rocky shores west of the Elwha River, or to Ediz Hook, and the Inner Port Angeles Harbor. This time was hard on a lot of the people because they had no permanent homes, and their villages of shack houses kept getting pushed farther and farther due to settlers. Not only was having a place to live difficult, but finding food to eat. Historically the main source of food has always been obtained by fishing, but in 1910 state law required a license to fish; however, tribal members could not obtain a license because they were not U.S. citizens. In 1924 Indians were finally made U.S. citizens, but their fishing rights continued to be restricted by the state. Then in 1934 the Indian Reorganization Act assisted the tribe in obtaining 327 acres of land in the Elwha Valley for 14 families. Although the purpose of acquiring this trust land in 1938 was to establish a reservation, the Elwha Klallam Reservation was not proclaimed until 1968 when the tribe became Federally Recognized. After becoming Federally Recognized, running water was available in 1969 on the reservation, and in the early ‘70's electricity was available. In ‘74 the Boldt decision helped the regain fishing rights, and then in 1975 & 76 the Fish Hatchery and Tribal Center were built in the Elwha valley. Since then the Tribe has purchased more land for homes and other development, currently owning 965 acre
Culture Resurgence
Reviving our culture and language is becoming of great importance. A resurgence in creating the traditional canoes began in the late ‘80's. The process of creating the traditional canoes would involve intertribal partnerships to assist each other with the almost lost art of canoe carving. Aside from the physical carving of the canoes; the whole cultural/spiritual realm of knowledge had to be researched, remembered, taught, practiced and shared inside each tribal village wherever it was lacking. Along with canoes; many other necessary items would need to be created such as paddles, capes, vests, headbands, tools, bailers, and the list goes on. The protocol of visiting, welcoming, gifting, appropriate use of songs and dance; all needed to be reintroduced into the culture. The first successful canoe journey was in 1989; The Paddle to Seattle. Since then there has been many canoe journeys that the tribes of Washington State and Canada organize together. There are many reasons for these journeys. This yearly activity provides prevention alternatives to drug and alcohol use for the youth, teaches our young the importance of our culture and language, and spurs intertribal relations. Another big development in the Culture and Language area is the agreement between the School District and Tribe to allow Klallam Language to be taught at the High School as of 1998. This greatly helps the spread of knowledge to our children, and instills a feeling of pride while in school
Village Site