“What’s in a name?” you might ask as we approach the Muckleshoot Tribe Reservation. Well, here, the name tells a story. “Muckleshoot” comes from the Lushootseed word bəqəlšu. It originally meant a prairie between the White and Green rivers.
Before the Muckleshoot Reservation was established, people were called “Green River Indians” or “White River Indians”. George Gibbs recorded “Mukl-shootl” as a prairie with a U.S. Military Station between 1853 and 1856. The name evolved to mean the military outpost and then the reservation itself. By 1864, it was used to refer to the people living there.
The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s story begins with the Treaty of Medicine Creek in 1854 and the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855. The Stkamish, Skopamish, and Smulkamish didn’t sign the Treaty of Point Elliott directly. Isaac Stevens, the territorial governor, assumed they were under Duwamish and Seattle control. Stevens wanted single chiefs to lead groups, which wasn’t traditional. Seattle was named head chief of a Duwamish Tribe that included Green and White rivers’ people. The Muckleshoot Tribe claims both treaty and non-treaty status because of this. The Muckleshoot Reservation exists on land ceded by the Treaty of Point Elliott. But it was dictated by the Treaty of Medicine Creek.
Many didn’t like the treaties. The Puget Sound War began in 1855. The Muckleshoot’s ancestors fought against the American government. After the war, Governor Stevens promised a new reservation for groups without one. This included land between the White and Green rivers, including Muckleshoot Prairie.
President Franklin Pierce established the Muckleshoot Reservation on January 20, 1857. However, it didn’t include all promised land. Traditional fishing and village sites were missing. President Ulysses S. Grant expanded the reservation in 1874.
The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 allowed tribes to form their own governments. The Muckleshoot Reservation voted to establish the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. They created a constitution and bylaws in 1936. Around 1937, the tribe had 194 members.
The Muckleshoot Tribe fought for their land claims. They were initially denied in Duwamish Indians v. United States because there was no treaty with the “Muckleshoot”. In 1959, the Indian Claims Commission found that the Muckleshoot’s ancestors had 101,620 acres of land, worth $86,377. The U.S. was ordered to pay this amount.
A large Army depot in the Green River Valley used railways. After World War II, Auburn industrialized. Population growth put pressure on the Muckleshoot and their reservation. Private landowners tried to stop them from fishing and hunting.
The Muckleshoot protested in the 1960s and 1970s to protect their ecosystem. These “Fish Wars” aimed to preserve fishing rights off-reservation. The Boldt Decision upheld the Muckleshoot’s right to fish and hunt. They were designated co-managers of the King County watershed.
The salmon population declined due to urbanization and industrialization. Dams and poor water quality hurt the fish. The Muckleshoot continue to fight for salmon and improve their economy.
Today, most Muckleshoot citizens live on or near the 6.128 sq mi Muckleshoot Reservation. It lies between the White and Green rivers on Muckleshoot Prairie. In 2013, the Muckleshoot Tribe bought 150 square miles of forest. As of 2023, the Muckleshoot Tribe has 3,353 members.
The Muckleshoot speak Whulshootseed, a Southern Lushootseed dialect. The tribe is revitalizing the language. They hold Skopabsh Days each August with traditional arts, crafts, and cooking. Each July, they host the Muckleshoot Sobriety Powwow.
The Muckleshoot’s journey reflects resilience. They have preserved their culture while adapting to modern challenges. Their story is etched into this land.