Salish
The term "Salish" encompasses a category of Indigenous American languages and cultures primarily found in northwestern Washington State and southwestern British Columbia, but also extending into parts of northern Idaho, western Oregon, and Montana. The Salish-speaking peoples, including both Coast Salish and Inland Salish groups, have diverse social structures and traditions shaped by their distinct environments. Coast Salish communities developed a rich maritime culture, relying on salmon, halibut, and other sea resources, while also creating intricate wooden artworks and large plank houses. In contrast, Inland Salish societies, such as the Flathead, exhibited more fluid social organization, seasonal migrations, and used tepees for shelter.
The Coast Salish have a stratified social system marked by specific rituals, while Inland Salish cultures generally experienced less conflict and more egalitarian structures. Although exact population figures are difficult to ascertain, it is estimated that tens of thousands of individuals identify with the Salish cultural and language groups today. Many Salish communities actively engage in efforts to preserve their cultural heritage while also focusing on economic development and environmental stewardship. This rich tapestry of traditions and languages reflects the resilience and diversity of Salish peoples amidst contemporary challenges.
On this Page
Salish
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northwest Coast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Salishan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Northwest Washington State, southwest British Columbia, Vancouver Island, western Oregon
- POPULATION SIZE: Tens of thousands in individual Indigenous American nations and First Nation groupings
The term "Salish" refers to a category of Indigenous American languages that are spoken by Indigenous peoples based largely in northwestern Washington and southwestern British Columbia, although extending into northern Idaho, western Oregon, and Montana with the Flathead (or Inland Salish) nations, who also speak a Salishan language, and as far north on the Canadian coast as the Bella Coola villages around Dean and Burke channels. The Salish-speaking peoples (whose various dialects have been extensively mapped and studied by Wayne Suttles of Portland State University) extend as far south as the Chinook at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington.
There is a major dialect division between the Coast Salish and the Inland Salish. It is presumed that Salish-speaking people first traveled from inland, down the Fraser River, before spreading out along the coast, where their traditional lands now overlap major urban areas such as the Seattle-Tacoma area of Washington State and Vancouver in British Columbia.
While it is difficult to generalize about a large number of unique groups who share a general linguistic family, it is possible to say that the Coast Salish developed a strong maritime culture based on the extensive supplies of salmon, halibut, cod, and sea mammals, all of which they harpooned or netted in a variety of ingenious ways. The vast forests of the Pacific Northwest also allowed the Coast Salish peoples (as well as other coastal peoples of the Northwest, such as the Tlingit and Haida) to develop artwork in wood and to build large plank-house dwellings. Cedar bark was even developed into a kind of textile used for clothing. Canoes were another specialty, although the Northwest Coast peoples generally were not seafarers like the Polynesians or the Scandinavian peoples. Traditional Coast Salish society was typically highly stratified, divided into elite, common, and slavery classes—classes maintained by elaborate social rituals and observance of a strict etiquette of behavior, such as marrying within one’s level of society. Coast Salish religious traditions were elaborate, emphasizing the importance of dreams.
In contrast, Inland Salish societies, particularly in the central plateau region, had much looser social stratification and political organization. Abundant food allowed for seasonal migration of largely self-governed small bands, and conflict between these plateau peoples was very rare. Further inland, Salish peoples such as the Flathead followed customs closer to those of Plains Indigenous groups, including a more well-established hierarchy and hunter-warrior system, and trade between these cultures was common. Rather than the plank houses of the Coast Salish, Inland Salish peoples such as the Flathead lived in tepees, again reflecting their similarities to Indigenous nations further east.
Although determining the population of Salish-speaking Indigenous Americans and First Nations groups in the twenty-first century is challenging due to the many diverse Indigenous Salish groups spread across a wide geographical area, the number is likely in the tens of thousands. The number of inland Salish is believed to be fewer than those who identify as Coast Salish. Because of the large amount of diverse Salish groups, their individual activities are challenging to quantify. However, most work to preserve their culture and traditions while participating in economic development and environmental stewardship.
Bibliography
"About Us - Tribes." Puget Sound Regional Council, www.psrc.org/about-us/tribes. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
Barnet, Homer. "The Coast Salish of Canada." The North American Indians: A Sourcebook. Roger Owen, James Deetz, and Anthony Fisher, editors. Macmillan, 1967.
"Coast Salish." American Museum of Natural History, www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/northwest-coast/coast-salish. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
"Coast Salish People & Languages." Burke Museum, www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/culture/contemporary-culture/coast-salish-art/coast-salish-people. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
Drucker, Philip. "Indians of the Northwest Coast." The North American Indians: A Sourcebook. Roger Owen, James Deetz, and Anthony Fisher, editors. Macmillan, 1967.
Hill-Tout, Charles. The Salish People. Ralph Maud, editor. 1978. Reprint. U of Washington P, 1987.
Suttles, Wayne, and Ralph Maud, editors. Coast Salish Essays. U of Washington P, 1987.