Chehalis
Chehalis refers to an Indigenous nation located in Washington State, specifically along the Harrison River and Harrison Lake, within the cultural area of the Northwest Coast. The Chehalis people are divided into two groups: the marine-oriented Lower Chehalis and the inland Upper Chehalis, both historically living in communal, gable-roofed cedar dwellings. Fishing has traditionally been central to their diet and culture, with women also gathering roots, berries, and fruits. The Chehalis encountered various explorers, including Lewis and Clark in 1805, and faced significant changes with the arrival of fur traders and settlers in the early 19th century. The Chehalis Reservation was established in 1864, and over time, the nation adapted economically, transitioning from traditional employment in agriculture to urban jobs, logging, and fishing by the late 20th century. In the 21st century, the Chehalis people have continued to thrive, managing a casino, hotel, and a distillery, while also focusing on cultural preservation and providing social services to their community. The current population of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation consists of around 979 members.
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Chehalis
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northwest Coast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Coast Salish
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Harrison River below the mouth of Chehalis to Harrison Lake, Washington
- POPULATION SIZE: 979 (2023 Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation)
During the winter, the marine-oriented Lower Chehalis lived in permanent gable-roofed dwellings of split cedar, each housing eight to twelve families. The inland Upper Chehalis were located on major streams and used similar structures. The nation was in the Northwest Coast cultural area. Marriage was outside the kin group, and the village was the main socioeconomic and political group. Fish was the principal food, as reflected in fishing technology, ceremony, and various behavioral prohibitions and divisions of labor. Smelt, herring, lamprey, and shellfish were taken. Women collected roots, berries, and fruit.
Several other expeditions had made contact with the Chehalis before Meriwether Lewis and William Clark visited them in 1805. By 1811, Astoria was established, and fur traders began to exploit the area. The establishment of Fort Vancouver in 1825 by the Hudson’s Bay Company encouraged further White settlement and use of the Cowlitz Trail, which traversed Lower Chehalis territory. The Chehalis Reservation was established in 1864, and in 1866 a smaller reservation was also established. Until Prohibition, most employment was in picking hops. By the late twentieth century, the Chehalis were earning their income in urban employment, logging, and fishing.
In the twenty-first century, the Chehalis people mainly lived on the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and were recognized as an Indigenous nation by the federal government. Although their membership numbers had decreased, their economic influence in the area increased. The nation operated a casino, a hotel, the first Indigenous-owned distillery on Indigenous land, and several other projects that brought revenue and employment to the Chehalis people. The Chehalis nation provided social services to its members and participated in cultural preservation activities.
Bibliography
Banse, Tom. "Chehalis Tribe Opens Distillery, After Centuries-Old Nationwide Prohibition Overturned." Northwest Public Broadcasting, 27 Sept. 2020, www.nwpb.org/2020/09/27/chehalis-tribe-opens-distillery-after-centuries-old-nationwide-prohibition-overturned. Accessed 26 Oct. 2024.
"Chehalis Tribe." Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, www.npaihb.org/member-tribes/chehalis-tribe/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2024.
"Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation 2023 Statistical Profile Demographics." Thurston Regional Planning Council, Nov. 2023, www.trpc.org/DocumentCenter/View/11441/Chehalis. Accessed 26 Oct. 2024.
"Our Story - People of the Sands." The Chehalis Tribe, www.chehalistribe.org/our-story/people-of-the-sands/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2024.
Ruby, Robert H., et al. A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. 3rd ed., U of Oklahoma P, 2014.
Weiser-Alexander, Kathy. "Chehalis Tribe of Washington." Legends of America, Aug. 2021, www.legendsofamerica.com/chehalis-tribe. Accessed 26 Oct. 2024.