Lummi

The Lummi (or Lummi Nation, Lhaq'temish, People of the Sea ) are a Native American tribe in the U.S. state of Washington. The tribe lives in the Lummi Indian Reservation on the north west coast, about 13 miles from Bellingham away and some 30 km south of the border between Canada and the United States. The Lummi belong to the Coastal Salish, which belong to the Salish language family, but unlike the inland living language relatives cultivate a culture that is strongly influenced by the peculiarities of the coast and the sea. The Lummi spoke the same dialect as the Songhees on Vancouver Iceland, the Lekwungen.

The tribe's name is by Wayne Suttles (1918-2005), an anthropologist and linguist, go back to a house in the Lummi Reservation at Gooseberry Point.

The Lummi held between July 30 and August 4, 2007 they first Potlatch off for around 70 years. 68 families from Washington and British Columbia rowed to the reserve.

1989 was one of the parent 2,846 members, but increased the number of registered members of the tribe to 2005 on 4219. The reserve also live the descendants of the other tribes, which is why the inhabitants are collectively referred to as the Lummi Tribe of Nations.

History

Besides the typical for all coastal dwellers seasonal movements that led accordingly to only temporarily inhabited villages, laid out the Lummi Riffnetze on Orcas Iceland, San Juan Iceland, Iceland Lummi and Fidalgo Iceland, to the Point Roberts and Sandy Point on. Camas, dried berries, marine animals, but also land animals belong to their food. Especially Camas and berries served beyond the trade. For the period around 1780 it was estimated that the Lummi to about 1,000. Before 1850, the Lummi moved their villages from the San Juan Islands on the adjacent mainland to escape the smallpox and marauding tribes of British Columbia from 1775. Since this followed them, they built palisades villages in order to defend themselves, similar to most strains of the coast. When relocating their villages they came into conflict with the Nooksack River living there and tribes, such as the Hulwhaluq and the scale Khan. The two groups were assimilated.

After the Treaty of Point Elliott of January 22, 1855 the chief Chowitshoot signed, subject to the numbered 386-500 individuals Lummi in a reserve with an area of ​​54.378 km ² to include the Lummi Peninsula, and uninhabited Portage Island. It stretched from the Lummi Bay in the west to Bellingham Bay in the east. But the procession extended over several years - 1857 sat on each of the three estuaries of the Lummi or Nooksack River a Lummi Group -, especially since the agreement came into effect in 1859.

On November 22, 1873, the reserve was enlarged to 13,600 acres (of 12562.94 ). Actually, the reserve for several tribes, such as the Nooksack and Samish was provided, but most of them did not move there, or they left it again soon. Thus, the Lummi remained largely among themselves.

Shortly after signing the contract Catholic missionaries came to the Lummi. Under the leadership of the Jesuits Eugène Casimir Chirouse ( not to be confused with his nephew Eugène- Casimir Chirouse ) and Louis J. D' HERBOMEZ was a mission station. The Lummi are Catholic to this day.

1856 at the same time a military base in Fort Bellingham was built, but it was abandoned in 1860 ( officially 1868). 1858 negotiated the Lummi with the Fraser River withdrawing gold diggers. Already in 1856 had to canoe to Victoria to get blankets that had been exchanged for a spirits Lummi chief. They requested an Indian agent, from which they hoped to protection against encroachments of the whites.

Many Lummi hung continue their traditional way of life, so good, as among the nomadic hostile conditions was possible. Many hired themselves but also for whites, and so stood in 1871 for $ 700 Indians on the monthly payroll in Bellingham.

1897 a court ruled against the privileges of the Lummi and in favor of the Alaska Packers Association based in Point Roberts near the Canadian border. So they lost fishing rights, which were only partially restored in 1974.

1948 took over the Lummi a tribal constitution, but changed it in 1970. Elfköpfiger A Tribal Council ( Tribal Council ) forms the government. The tribal members form the General Council (General Council), which meets at least once a year. On this occasion, he chooses a third of the new Tribal Council for three years. The Tribal Council shall convene tribesmen who work on its behalf in monitoring committees of tribal enterprises.

1950 already 10,162 acres were from the reserve land provided as private land ( allotted ). 4,824 acres were sold, bringing the Trust land was reduced to 7,598 acre. Only 20 acres of Trust land were in tribal ownership.

1957 was the Indian Claims Commission that the Lummi 1855 had been taken exactly 107,500 acres of land. After deduction of the reserve area and the river runs with special privileges remained 72 560 acre. On 2 March 1962, set the value of the country by the year 1859 fixed at $ 52,067. Since it was difficult to determine how high the compensation had been through the Point Elliott Treaty, summed it together 10 of the strains mentioned there 23 and shared her total claims in equal parts. This one came to $ 33,634.13. Thus, the tribe would have enjoyed almost $ 16,500. 1972 complained of the tribe against the decision and received the judgment of October 22, 1970 instead $ 57,000.

In 1970, the strain by using the Lummi Business Council commercial fish farms, but they are highly vulnerable to the waste water from the Nooksack. The Indian Health Service cared for improved medical and dental care.

In 1975, the houses were destroyed by 57 families of flooding by the Nooksack River.

Current Situation

The number of people living in the reserve is estimated at 6,590. However, only a 2,600 registered tribal members, 665 live with registered members, plus more than 3,300 non-members of the Lummi Nation. Overall, there was in April 2005 4.219 enrolled tribal members, of whom nearly 32 % under 18. Unemployment stood at just 16%.

The children attend either the school or the church school in Ferndale, Bellingham.

Mid-June is held annually the Lummi Stommi Water Carnival, in which initially against each drove Lummi canoe race. Later, other coastal Salish groups were added, now also from Canada. In order to celebrate the end of hostilities between the tribes in the year 1821. 2007 celebrated the Lummi after around 70 years back a potlatch.

How the four host nations of the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil - Waututh, including the Lummi at the Olympic Winter Games in 2010 and the subsequent Paralympics want to participate. They acquired this land outside the reserve west of Interstate 5, which connects Seattle and Vancouver. There arises since September 2008, the Gateway Center in which to settle several shops in addition to a gallery and a cultural center for the presentation of the Lummi culture to an international audience. The non-commercial Lummi Nation Service Organization and the Lummi commercial ventures operate the company. The Lummi more visitors expected in the reserve, particularly in the Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa, which holds 105 rooms. It is one of the largest employers, employs 550 people and has hosted over one million visitors in 2007.