STRAITS SALISH
PREHISTORY

By Gary J. Morris (c)1981,1991,2006


STRAITS SALISH
PREHISTORY

By Gary J. Morris (c)1981,1991,2006

INTRODUCTION

Along the inland waters of Northwestern Washington and Southwestern British Columbia, there inhabited several "tribes" which were closely related to each other, and commonly referred to as the STRAITS SALISH people. They occupied the area of the greater San Juan Islands, including much of the area near the intersection of the Strait of Juan De Fuca and the Strait of Georgia. Each tribe consisted of a few hundred to as many as 1500 people. The core group of Straits Salish were: LUMMI (1200 people in 1800 AD), SAANITCH (1400), and SONGISH (and SOOKE -- 800). Subsidiary groups of Straits were: SEMIAHMOO (400), KLALLAM (1200), and the SAMISH (450). Each tribe was further broken down into villages, each consisting of about one hundred people. The population of the STRAITS people just prior to the pre white contact (1800 AD) was close to 5,000 individuals, but due to plagues and acquired diseases brought on by the white man, their population decreased to less than 1500 by 1900 AD, and has since risen to probably over 10,000 people by 1990 AD (similar to the world wide population trend).

EARLY STRAITS

The ancestral roots of the STRAITS SALISH are to be found in the Northern San Juan Islands. Their ancestors, the ones which were descended from the earliest Salish lineage, originally settled the San Juan Islands about 550 BC. Most likely, a band of Salish broke off from their kin, the Halkomelem on the Fraser River Delta, and formed a village of perhaps 50 to 100 people, probably originally near East Sound, Orcas Island, and probably expanding to a second village at Garrison Bay, NW San Juan Island by 200 AD.

The period between about 500 BC and 500 AD was a developmental period for the Straits Salish, and known as the MARPOLE PHASE in the local cultural sequence. Population apparently averaged only 50 - 200 people in the earlier half, to 150 to 500 people in the second half. Villages probably included East Sound, later Garrison Bay, and by about 400 AD, expansion to the Saanitch Peninsula, and SE Vancouver Island.

Much of the Historic territorial boundaries and cultural traditions of the individual tribes were developed during the earlier half of the SAN JUAN PHASE (500 AD TO 1200 AD), and locally known as the MARITIME Component of the San Juan Phase. The RECENT Component of the San Juan Phase begins about 1150 AD and ends in Historic times.

550 BC TO 100 BC
FORMATIVE STRAITS -- EAST SOUND, ORCAS ISLAND

No clear evidence of winter occupied village territory is to be found for this period, except around NE East Sound. This was probably the "origin" village of the core group of Straits Salish. Formative Straits year round territory probably included greater Birch Bay and Northern San Juan Islands. The Birch Bay/Semiahmoo occupation of about 550 BC to about 50 BC appears to be associated with East Sound. It is interesting to note that the Beach Grove site at Point Roberts was strongly culturally associated with the Marpole site (Fraser Delta), and very near neighbors of Birch Bay. Straits Salish nearest neighbors to the south would have been a band of Chemakum physical type people (locally referred to as Argyle Type), living in the southern San Juan Islands, ancestral, at least in part, to the Samish and Klallam. To the north, Straits closest neighbor was the ancestral Halkomelem near Vancouver. Archaeological evidence at East Sound supports the conclusion for a small village population, originally perhaps 50 to 75 people between about 550 BC to 350 BC, nearly doubling to perhaps 125 people between about 350 to 200 BC.

100 BC TO 50 AD
TRANSITIONAL EARLY STRAITS

Winter village occupation on East Sound appears to have ended at about 100 BC, probably resulting in the splitting into two wandering groups of about 75 to 100 people each. The seasonal territory included North San Juan Islands, and expanded to the greater Victoria area. The Birch Bay / Semiahmoo people abandoned or were replaced or interbred at about 50 BC with the arrival of new Fraser River physical types (Port Hammond inter-bred with Marpole). It is unclear exactly what caused this transition.

50 AD TO 400 AD
DEVELOPED EARLY STRAITS

Straits winter village occupation of East Sound resumed at about 50 AD, and at the same time also included a second village at Garrison Bay. Both villages were probably large, averaging about 125 people each. Typical Marpole phase artifacts are found at Garrison Bay and at Southwest Lopez for this time period. However, while it is suggested that Garrison Bay was of the historic Dominant Lummi physical type, at Southern Lopez, following at about 200 AD the introduction of the Marpole phase is also associated with the Marpole physical type introduction into the local Chemakum (Argyle) physical type population. This might suggest that the Straits population was not introduced into the Samish until later (about 500 AD).

400 AD TO 800 AD
STRAITS SALISH TRIBAL DIVISIONS

All of the historic tribes became distinct villages during this time. It is also suggested that remnant Locarno Beach people (earliest Salish to extend beyond the Fraser Delta) were reintroduced at about 800 AD into the Saanitch and Songish tribes. This coincides with the break-off and formation of the Songish. Between 750 and 1100 AD Klallam, Samish, and Semiahmoo probably emerged as distinct identities. At the present time, it appears that Klallam interbred with the remnant Chemakum, the Samish interbred with Chemakum and later Skagit, and the Saanitch became very mixed (not fully understood yet).

LEGEND OF STRAITS SALISH ORIGIN

Straits Salish prehistory can be tied into the Lummi Legend of their origin (in Stern 1934) . . .

"In the beginning two brother were placed on the earth. They first landed in the vicinity of Somane. There they discussed the problem of getting a livelihood. They concluded that salmon would not come to this place, so they moved south. The older brother stopped at Melaxat, but the younger brother, Swetan, continued on to San Juan Island, where he stopped to make a home. To both brothers, Xelas, the Transformer, had given some important gifts -- the Salmon, the Reef net, the Spear, Suin, and Fire."

The first part of the legend evidently refers to a time prior to 400 AD. Somane probably was either at East Sound, around Birch Bay, or north as far as the Fraser River. The place Melaxat may refer to the ancestral Saanitch village on the Saanitch Peninsula. This may be indicated by the name of the modern town of Malahat close to Saanitchan Bay.

Swetan is claimed to be the ancestor of the Lummi, Saanitch (branched out by about 400 AD), and Songish (branched out by 750 AD), but evidently not the Klallam, Semiahmoo, and Samish. Swetan's village territory directly descends in time to the T(X)aleqa-mish (Taleqa people) band of Lummi. Thus, the Taleqamish became distinct as early as about 800 AD, and separate from other Lummi by about 1100 AD.

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PALEO SALISH:

The first Salish settled on the Upper Fraser River Canyon by 7,500 BC (Nesikep Tradition), to the Lower Fraser River Canyon by 4,300 BC (Eayem Phase), and began spreading outward by 2,500 to 1,500 BC. It was not until about 550 BC that they took over the Fraser River Delta, and outward into the San Juan Islands and southward. However, at the same time that they spread to the Lower Fraser River Canyon (about 4,400 BC), one group flowed down the River, and out into the Gulf Islands (Mayne Phase), where they eventually became known as the Locarno Beach People (1,500 BC to 550 BC and later in some areas). The Locarno Beach People are clearly Paleo Salish, and after 550 BC probably assimilated into the Island Salish (including Southern Vancouver Island).

It appears that the first Salish came from the North when they settled the Upper Fraser River Canyon. Their physical type and culture would suggest them to be the earliest branch, or similar to PROTO NaDene of Interior Alaska. It is also feasible that a group of Paleo Salish migrated down to the Columbia Plateau, adopting the Penutian language, and forming or contributing to the Yakama Penutian.

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TRIBAL HISTORIES

L U M M I

Lummi originated most likely as one village in Garrison Bay, NW San Juan Island by 800 AD, and enlarging to a second village on Orcas Island by 1000 AD. The Garrison Bay village was directly descended from the original village main occupation of 100 - 400 AD, ancestral to Lummi, Saanitch, and Songish tribes.

Lummi, as evidenced by Taleqamish skeletal material, are directly descended from the earliest Straits Salish physical type, becoming slightly changed by 750 to 1000 AD, and persisting into historic times. The little skeletal data available might suggest a slight change in physical makeup after about 750-1000 AD. This may be a variation of the earlier type, or indicated new genetic input from the (Vancouver) mainland.

TALEQAMISH (TALEQA PEOPLE)

The Taleqamish were a distinct village of people on NW San Juan Island by 800 AD (ancestral Lummi), and gave rise to the Orcas Island Lummi villages by 1100 AD. Two skeletons from Garrison Bay, dating to about 1200 AD and 1600 AD, both reveal a very similar physical type composition.

Lummi legend refers to the Taleqamish as having "grew to a great number but sometime in the remote past they were destroyed by a great plague". This occurred perhaps about 1450 to 1600 AD. The last survivor(s?) had the house moved to Sandy (Flat) Point on Lopez Island, where it joined the house of Qokwaltxw. "When Qokwaltxw arranged it in line with the building of that village, it was too cramped. He then placed the house at right angles with the original village and made it the home of his daughter. This part of the village was thereafter called Twlolames (Xwla'le-mish), facing another, from which the name Xwle"mi (modernized to Lummi) is derived." (Stern 1934) One of his descendants, Sehenep, had this house moved to Gooseberry Point, Lummi Reservation, about 1725 AD (the date derived from genealogies).

There were about 400 people around 1800 AD on the NW corner of San Juan Island. Surveyors in 1858 found a longhouse on Garrison Bay that was 600 feet long by 60 feet wide.

ALALENG (WEST SOUND PEOPLE)

Probably originated as a distinct village area about 1100 AD, from either NW San Juan or East Sound. About 100 people in one village about 1800 AD.

SWALLAH (EAST SOUND PEOPLE)

Referring to the people of East Sound, with villages at East Sound, Rosario, and Olga. Occupation of ancestral Swallah was at the East Sound village between 950 and 1400 AD, originating from the Garrison Bay tribe.

S A A N I T C H

The Saanitch were probably the first group to break off from the Garrison Bay village, about 400 AD, and establish a village in the vicinity of the North Saanitch Peninsula. Between the time of the formation of the Saanitch (400 AD) and about 800 AD, the Saanitch were of the ancestral Straits physical type. Coinciding with the divergence of the Songish from probably Saanitch at about 750-800 AD, there was an introduction of the Locarno Beach physical type into both Saanitch and Songish (evenly distributed). This genetic flow was probably from somewhere along eastern Vancouver Island (north of the Gulf Islands?).

S O N G I S H

The Songish probably broke off from the Saanitch (or conceivably, the Garrison Bay Village), and established a new residence near Victoria about 750 AD. A single village of nearly 100 people probably existed there, and by 1100 AD other villages began to be established. With the creation of the Songish, there was the introduction of Locarno Beach physical type into the ancestral Straits Salish Puget type (see Saanitch).

S O O K E

Now nearly extinct, they were a most warlike and hardy band, and that none of the largest tribes on the coast would attack them unaided, but about the year 1818 the Cowichan, Klallam, and Nitinat combined and attacked the Sooke tribe and nearly annihilated them.

K L A L L A M

Evidently, the Klallam settled the North Olympic Peninsula less than a thousand years ago, pushing the Chemakum eastward toward NE Olympic Peninsula. Their origin prior to 1000 AD is unknown, and too little data to hypothesize, although according to legend, they did not originate from Lummi, Saanitch, or Songish. This would suggest association with either Semiahmoo or Samish. Skeletal and archaeological evidence would suggest that they were Salish interbred with the Chemakum.

S E M I A H M O O

Semiahmoo territory has been occupied and abandoned through time by three to five different physical types of people. Thus, the origin of historic Semiahmoo is somewhat hard to analyze. The original occupation of Semiahmoo territory by the ancestral Semiahmoo must have occurred either about 400 AD, or less likely, as late as 1100 AD. Their skeletal composition is an admixture of three distinct physical types (approximately 1/3 Marpole, 1/3 Locarno Beach, and 1/3 Argyle [Chemakum]). The Marpole/Argyle component might be an indication of similarity to the Marpole/Argyle component of the Samish (mid-late Marpole Phase). It may be of importance to note that there were two classes of people among the Semiahmoo (High and Low Class), and this may have been possibly associated with their ancestral composition. Some association with the Saanitch is noted, and this may indicate a source of the Locarno Beach physical type (presumed to be from eastern Vancouver Island).

S A M I S H (CHECHAMKUM)

The Samish were recently a small group of people who numbered between 10 and 30 people about 1900 AD, in about 2 families. About 1800 AD they numbered over 400 people in three villages: Guemes Island, Fidalgo Bay, and Samish Island. The name Samish referred to the people from Samish Island, and recently was applied to all the people of the tribe. The people who lived at the main village on Guemes Island were called Chechamkum (Puget Sound term).

Evidently, the Samish consisted of at least two main groups of people: (1) Chechamkum, a remnant Lopez Island mixed Straits Salish people, and (2) Skagit Salish, probably early of the Swinomish group and, within the past 800 years, closely tied with the Noowhaha (Skagit).

Most linguists have grouped Samish with the Straits Salish, while several argue that the language more resembles the Skagit. Historical records show that the 1880 Samish village consisted of 57% Straits Salish (of which, 33% Samish) and 29% Skagit Salish (of which, 18% Noowhaha), which accounts for about 86% of Samish heredity.

Skeletal remains from two Samish territory archaeological sites on south Lopez Island, dated between about 1000 BC to 1200 AD reveal that the Argyle (Chemakum) physical type occupied this territory from at least 750 BC to perhaps 200 AD. Sometimes during the mid Marpole phase, around 200 AD, the Marpole physical type (mixed Salish) became inbred with the Argyle, and by about 500 AD the historic Samish was becoming evident, perhaps masking any trace of the Argyle physical type. The Marpole physical type coincides with the identification of typical Marpole phase artifacts. The occurrence of the Marpole physical type might perhaps suggest disassociation with the ancestral Straits Salish of the northern San Juan Islands. It is not until about 550 AD that any indication of Straits Salish occurs in the genetic composition of the skeletal material. Thus, it is possible that not until at least 550 AD that Samish may have been associated with the Straits Salish.

It is suggested here that Samish were descended, at least in part, from the Argyle physical type. Modern Samish recognize the similarity of Chamkum (Puget Sound term for the village) to Chemakum, but have not found any significance in it. The prehistory of the Chemakum strongly suggests them to have originated on the Northern Olympic Peninsula sometime prior to 100 BC, the approximated timing of a population split to the Olympic North Coast (Quileute speakers). The ancestral group is probably the same as the one which occupied the Hoko River area between 900 - 100 BC. In this view, Chemakum and Chechamkum would have been one people (village) prior to 900 BC.

Samish should be a name only used to refer to the historical tribe. Tradition clearly states that the Noowhaha originally owned Samish Island, and was only recently occupied by the Samish (perhaps a few hundred years ago -- 1600 AD?). The archaeological evidence suggests that between about 1350 and 1550 AD, the "Chechamkum" lived on S. Lopez (McKaye Harbor), strongly occupied outer Deception Pass, and evidently lived on Guemes Island, and probably Fidalgo Bay. Chechamkum territory probably was on South Lopez/San Juan Island between about 550 AD and 1100 AD, with outward expansion to Fidalgo, Guemes, and last Samish Island.

SAMISH HISTORICAL BREAKDOWN: Between 500 BC TO 100 BC the Argyle physical type occupied south Lopez Island with a village of 50 to 75 people. Between 100 BC TO 200 AD there was a south Lopez village or seasonal only occupation. Possible period of contact with Marpole people. Population probably 50 to 75 people. Between 200 AD TO 400 AD there was an occupation at south Lopez village of about 75 people. Assimilation of Marpole genetic flow and Marpole phase culture, probably from the Fraser River Delta, possibly via the Whatcom county coast. Found distinctive Marpole phase Harpoon points from this period. Between 400 AD TO 550 AD was a possible reduced population (to about 60 people) on South Lopez Island. Between 550 AD TO 800 AD there was an occupation of South Lopez of about 75 people. Early assimilation of Puget gene flow. Last of distinctive Argyle genetic traits? Between 800 AD TO 1050 AD (LATE MARITIME PHASE) there was about 100 people on South Lopez. Peak regional Maritime Phase. Full development of Secret Societies (Wolf and Raven Clan). Probable original associations with Skagit Salish (of the Swinomish or early Noowhaha tribe), and shared boundaries with the Songish. Continuation of previous genetic composition. Between 1050 AD TO 1375 AD (RECENT/CHECHAMKUM EXPANSION) there was a move to Fidalgo Bay and West Guemes Island (999 feet long longhouse ending 1800 AD). Population increase to about 150 people. Between 1350 AD TO 1550 AD (RECENT (MIDDLE)) the Samish peak occupation around outer Deception Pass. Samish move to Samish Island, which was originally owned by the Noowhaha tribe (SE Island 1000 foot longhouse; NE Island 1250 foot longhouse). Most historic Samish villages established. Possibly McKaye Harbor Village and Defensive trench begin use, or earlier. Population increase to about 250 people. Between 1550 AD TO 1700 AD (RECENT (LATE)) Population increase to about 350 people. Samish withdrawal from Deception Pass. End McKaye Harbor Defensive trench use about 1700 AD. Between 1700 AD TO 1800 AD (HISTORIC) Population increase to about 450 people. Samish withdrawal from Lopez Island. By 1880 55 Samish on Guemes Island.


TRIBAL LINEAGES

GENERALIZED TRIBAL LINEAGES FOR LOCAL SALISH GROUPS:

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                              1000     AD/BC      1000      2000      3000      4000      5000      6000
             ::TIME:: ---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|-----
  N.                                                           |============|             Area     Mouth
     PENTLATCH        ---------------------|             |=======|=================|=============|=======|
  G                                        |                   |  EAYEM PHASE            NESIKEP TRADITION
  U  COMOX            ------------------|  |                   |  LOWER FRASER           UPPER FRASER 
  L                                     |  |                   |  RIVER CANYON           RIVER CANYON
  F  SECHELT          ------------------|--|---------|         |                         
  ____________________                               |         |  
                                             BALDWIN |    |----|           
  HM SQUAMISH         -----------------|      PHASE  |    |                  
  AE                                   |       |==|--|----|                
  LL NANAIMO          ---------|       |       |  |       |                
  KE COWICHAN         -------| |       |MARPOLE|  |       |                                       
  OM FRASER DELTA     -------|-|-----|=|=======|  |       |
  ____________________               |  PHASE  |  |       |
     NOOKSACK         ---------------|FRASER   |  |       | 
                                         DELTA |  |       | 
  ____________________                         |  |       |  
  S  SEMIAHMOO (400)  ---------------|         |  |       |
  T  SAANITCH  (1400) -----------|   |         |  |       | 
  R  LUMMI     (1200) -------|---||--|=|==|====|  |       |
  A  SONGISH   (800)  -----|_|    |               |       |
  I  SOOKE     (150)  -----|      |               |       |
  T  KLALLAM   (1200) ------------|               |       |
  S___________________                         SKAGIT     |

STRAITS SALISH TRIBAL LINEAGES:
INDIVIDUAL VILLAGE HISTORIES AND LINKS BACK IN TIME



LIVELIHOOD

ARTIFACTS

ARTIFACTS- 1/2 size reproductions of various artifacts found at various sites covering the past several thousand years
Straits Salish Projectile Points (Marpole to Recent)
Straits Salish Miscellaneous Artifacts(Marpole to Recent)
Straits Salish ART(Marpole to Recent)
Projectile Points(LOCARNO BEACH PHASE)
Projectile Points(SAMISH AREA)
SAMISH AREA MISCELLANEOUS
SAMISH AREA ART


SKELETAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG GREATER STRAITS TERRITORY TRIBES (***METHODS AND RESULTS***)
Using human skeletal data, relationships among Straits Salish Groups are analyzed.

SOIL DEPOSITION PROCESS of Archaeological Sites in the San Juan Islands. (INCLUDES CHART OF TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL over the past 5,000 Years

Straits Salish Bibliography

STRAITS SALISH PREHISTORY
WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 1981, AND FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1991
BY AUTHOR GARY J. MORRIS LOPEZ ISLAND, WA

SUGGESTIONS? REMARKS? NEW INFORMATION? Email me (Gary Morris) at [[email protected]]


LUMMI LANGUAGE


�a� is pronounced like the �a� in cat
�e� is pronounced like the �u� in tub
�ii is pronounced like the �ea� in eat
�o� is pronounced like the �a� in father
�u� is pronounced like the �u� in. tube.
�q� is pronounced like the �q� in quarter
�y� is pronounced like the �i� in kite

( From the SQUOL QUOL, a Lummi Publication )
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