Clallam
Clallam refers to a group of Native American tribes, including the Klallam, S'Klallam, and Tlallum, that historically inhabited the northern shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca in what is now Washington state. These tribes were part of the Coast Salish cultural area and engaged in a rich tradition of trade and intermarriage with neighboring nations, facilitating cultural exchange and economic collaboration. Prior to European contact, the Clallam lived in multiple permanent villages and utilized the region's abundant resources, including hunting seals and sturgeon and gathering a variety of plant foods.
The signing of treaties in the mid-19th century, such as the Point No Point Treaty in 1855, resulted in significant land cessions and the establishment of reservations. Over time, many Clallam individuals sought wage-earning opportunities in agriculture and fishing industries. In the contemporary period, the Clallam tribes are faced with various issues, including land claim disputes and economic challenges. As of the mid-2020s, the Clallam population is represented by four nations: the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, and the Scia'new First Nation in British Columbia, with membership numbers varying across these tribes.
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Clallam
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northwest Coast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Salishan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: North side of Strait Juan de Fuca
- POPULATION SIZE: Population size varies with nation/band; see below
Before European American contact, the Clallam—including the Klallam, S'Klallam, and Tlallum—inhabited approximately a dozen permanent villages on and around the Olympic Peninsula in what is now Washington state while intermarrying with other Coast Salish nations, thus encouraging trade and ritual exchange of wealth. This nation from the Salishan language family hunted inland to the Olympic Mountains and used dugout canoes to hunt seals, porpoises, sea lions, and sturgeon. They gathered numerous plant foods and by-products. Various complex ceremonies recognized status change and redistribution of food and goods.
By the 1820s, the Hudson’s Bay Company had explored the area and established Fort Langley on the Fraser River in 1827. The Central Coast Salish territory was divided in 1846 by the Treaty of Washington. In 1855, the Clallam signed the Point No Point Treaty, consenting to cede their lands and live on the Skokomish Reservation. Most Clallam earned wages by hop and berry picking, working in canneries, and selling fish.
Economic depression in the 1920s and 1930s coincided with the spread of the Indian Shaker Church. Issues of gaming and gillnetting confront these groups today, as well as land claim settlements against the federal government. The four Clallam nations remaining in the mid-2020s included three in Washington state—the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, and the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe—and one on Vancouver Island in British Columbia—the Scia'new First Nation. In the mid-2020s, the population of the Lower Elwaha Klallam stood at around 882 enrolled members, according to the nation’s website. The Jamestown S’klallam Tribe had over 600 members. The Port Gamble S’Sklallam Tribe reported 1,400 members on its website, while the Scia’new First Nation reported 270 people.
Bibliography
"History and Culture." Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, pgst.nsn.us/history-culture. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Gorsline, Jerry, editor. Shadows of Our Ancestors: Readings in the History of Klallam-White Relations. Jefferson County Hist. Soc., 2016.
"Historical Village Sites." Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, www.elwha.org/culture-history/historical-village-sites. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
"Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe." Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, www.npaihb.org/member-tribes/jamestown-sklallam-tribe. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe - A Washington State Tribe, pgst.nsn.us. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Ruby, Robert H., et al. A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. 3rd ed., U of Oklahoma P, 2014.
"Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay) First Nation - Province of British Columbia." Government of British Columbia, 27 Dec. 2023, www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/consulting-with-first-nations/first-nations-negotiations/first-nations-a-z-listing/scia-new-beecher-bay-first-nations. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Stauss, Joseph H. The Jamestown S'Klallam Story: Rebuilding a Northwest Coast Indian Tribe. 2nd ed., Jamestown S'Klallam, 2019.