Northwest Native Americans
The PNW Native Americans have been in the Pacific Northwest for over 14,000 years, and survived using innovative methods. Among the most innovative were the Colville Indian tribes. The Colville Indians reservation over in Eastern Washington covers 1.4 million acres, and is primarily in Okanogan and Ferry counties. The reservation consists of tribally owned lands held in federal trust status for the Confederated Tribes. The vast desert land is located in the Columbia Plateau.
The Colville Indians have accomplished many things; some of which are below.
*1872- Colville Reservation Created.
*1924- Indians acquire U.S. citizenship.
*1934- Indian Reorganization Act "Indian New Deal" encourages tribal sovereignty and self-administration.
*1938- The various Colville tribes confederate under a new constitution.
*1950/60's- Termination movement, which would gradually eliminate federal administration on reservations in exchange for individual cash payments, acquires some popularity nationwide; but the idea was defeated on the Colville Res.
Sanpoil River in northern Washington, USA, flows t...
One of the largest ponderosa pines on the Colville...
Bull MooseIn 1965.
Today, over 8,700 descendants of 12 aboriginal tribes of Indians are enrolled in the Confederate Tribes of the Colville Res. The tribes are: the Colville, the Nespelem, the San Poil, the Lake, the Palus, the Wenatchi, the Chelan, the Entiat, the Methow, the Okanogan, the Moses Columbia, and the Nez Perce. Prior to the influx of Canadians and Europeans in the mid 1850's, the ancestors of the 12 aboriginal tribes were nomadic, following the seasons of nature and their sources of food. Their aboriginal territories were grouped primarily around the Columbia River, the San Poil River, and other waterways.
Colville Res. Lands are diverse with natural resources including standing timber, streams, rivers, lakes, minerals, varied terrain, plants, and wildlife. The Colville Indian Reservation is occupied by over 5,000 residents, both Colville tribal members and their families and other non-Colville members, living either in small communities or in rural...