Skykomish people

Historically, waterways via canoes were the primary means of travel. Shovel-nosed canoes were used for upriver travel, and deep-water canoes were used for downriver and saltwater travel. Canoes were poled going upriver. Canoes were used commonly until late into the 1800s.^[20]

Overland routes generally followed the waterways. There was one overland route used by the Skykomish to cross the mountains at Cady Pass, which they shared with the Wenatchi. This relationship was highly profitable for the Skykomish, as through trade with the Wenatchi, they obtained tobacco other rare goods, in return for rare goods from the Puget Sound such as dentalium and dog wool.^[21]

In traditional Skykomish culture, several kinds of houses were built. The largest longhouses, often called potlatch houses, were centers of religion, learning, culture, governance, and the eponymous potlatch. The owners of a potlatch house often invited people from all over to take part in the potlatch, a gift-giving ceremony which was a crucial part of social life and the traditional Coast Salish economy. These longhouses also hosted elaborate religious ceremonies throughout the winter months. In Skykomish territory, these houses were built in the villages at Gold Bar and Index. At Index, a massive longhouse housed upwards of 240 people.^[10]

Summer houses were also built. They were temporary structures which were used during seasonal travel to various hunting, fishing, and gathering spots.^[10]

Traditional Skykomish life revolved around a yearly cycle of hunting, gathering, and fishing. People traveled all over Skykomish territory and beyond to facilitate this lifestyle. In the spring and summer, people traveled out to the Puget Sound and deep into the mountains to gather berries, roots, and clams, as well as fishing and hunting in the lowlands of the Sound. Around August, Skykomish activity in the Puget Sound would die down as they would travel back home to the Sultan Basin to go elk hunting and focus on the salmon runs. Hunting and fishing in Skykomish territory intensified in the early fall as travelers spread out into the Pilchuck, Skykomish, and Sultan basins to hunt deer, elk, bear, and other game. The late fall was prime goat hunting time, and many traveled to x̌əx̌aʔusalʔtxʷ to hunt high in the mountains. In the winter, people returned to their respective villages for feasting and ceremonies. The cold winter months, when not engaging in religious ceremonies, were often spent building canoes, houses, and all other crafts. As the winter drew to a close, many Skykomish would fish for steelhead in the Pilchuck River (Lushootseed: dxʷkʷiƛ̕əb)^[1] and begin preparing for the summer activities.^[22]

The Skykomish traditionally relied on a diet similar to other peoples on the western slopes of the Cascades. This consisted of plant life (sand rush, salmonberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackcaps, salalberries, huckleberries, blueberries, blue elderberries, hazelnuts) and animal (deer, elk, mountain goat, salmon, clams, and cockles).^[23]

Fish was by far the most important food resource in a traditional Skykomish diet. Most fish caught were smoked or dried, but some were eaten fresh or traded for other goods, especially during the colonial period. Even today, many rely on fishing as supplemental income, or even as primary income. Traditionally, the most common method of fishing was with weirs. Large weirs were built at many of the villages below Gold Bar. Other techniques included spearfishing and gillnetting.^[24]

The Skykomish also historically heavily relied on hunting. The primary animals hunted were deer, elk, bear, and mountain goat. There were 3 main areas used for hunting: the Pilchuck Basin, the Sultan Basin, and the Index area. The most prominent elk hunting spot in Skykomish territory was the Sultan Basin. People traveled from all over Skykomish territory to hunt elk in the basin. The Index area was most popular for hunting mountain goat, but deer and bear were hunted in the hills as well. The Pilchuck Basin was shared between the Snoqualmie and Snohomish and was a popular hunting area for deer and bear, as well as elk. Animal resources were used for food as well as clothing, tools, trade goods, and more. Goat wool in particular was a highly valuable trade good, prized by Puget Sound peoples with limited access to the mountains. Another use for goats were caps, made from mountain goat heads, with the horns and ears still attached.^[25]

Berries, roots, and other plants were another prolific resource in the Skykomish subsistence economy. Women were the primary berry-gatherers. Berries were mainly gathered downstream, along the river or in prairies. Mountain berries were gathered and sold fresh to settlers at lower elevation, or made into dried cakes for storage. Beargrass was collected to make baskets.^[26]

The traditional language of the Skykomish is Lushootseed, an endangered Coast Salish language. Lushootseed has two primary dialects, Northern and Southern. It is debated among anthropologists and historians which dialect the Skykomish traditionally spoke. Ethnologist Colin Tweddell believed the Skykomish spoke a subdialect of Northern Lushootseed, along with the Snohomish. In 1852, Indian Agent E. A. Starling reported that the Skykomish spoke the same dialect as the Snohomish. However, in the same year, the Indian Claims Commission concluded that the Skykomish spoke Southern Lushootseed, as do the Snoqualmie.^[10][27][28]

Although usage in Lushootseed has declined in recent years with the death of the last native speakers, both successor tribes of the Skykomish, the Tulalip and the Snoqualmie, have language programs and are working towards revitalizing the Lushootseed language. Primary focuses include increasing awareness of the language, preserving and passing on traditional cultural knowledge (known as x̌əč̓usadad in Lushootseed) and restoring daily usage of the language. Both departments have many language learning resources on their websites, and language classes are offered as well.^[28][29]