The Yakama NationNative American Culture

Yakama Reservation is located in south-central Washington State.

Origin

The Yakama people lived off the plentiful fish from the Columbia River, as well as berries from the mountains. Around 1806, they encountered the Lewis and Clark Expedition . As a result of the Walla Walla Council and the Yakima War of 1855 , the tribe was moved onto their present reservation.

The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation are descendents of 14 tribes that were federally recognized under the Yakama Treaty of 1855. More than 8,800 people are enrolled in the Yakama confederation of tribes. There are more than 13,700 people living on or near the reservation.

The name was changed from Yakima to Yakama in 1994 to reflect the Native pronunciation.

Pictures from the Past

Yakama two-hide dress 1890 Hide moccasins

1890

Beaded bag 1900

IndustryMajor industries currently include agriculture, food processing,

wood products, forestry, and manufacturing.

FoodNative delicacies Luk-a-meen (fish stew), Indian Fry Bread, Buffalo Stew, Buffalo Steak, Salmon, and Huckleberries ,

CustomsAnd traditions still in practice.

Practices still alive in our modern day society include basket weaving, pow-wows, Native American cuisine, jewelry making, and blanket weaving.

Remembering the past in the present.

Basket WeavingExamples of Klickitat Baskets from the Yamaka Tribe.

Pow Wows

Powwows are for dancing, singing, socializing, and honoring American Indian culture.

Pow Wow Singers

As various tribes gathered together, they would share their songs. Sometimes the singers of one tribe would change the songs so singers of different tribes could join. This is

how vocables were created. Vocables replace the words of the old songs.

© Gathering of Nations, Ltd.

Other Yakama Art Forms

This includes paintings, beadwork, blankets, and jewelry.

Language Yakama is a Penutian language of the Western Plateau. It

is spoken natively by only a few dozen Yakama and Klickitat elders . There Yakama Nation has an active language revitalization program underway to teach it to future generations.

English:

OneTwo

ThreeFourFiveMan

WomanSun

MoonWater

Yakama:

NáxsNápt

MítaatPínaptPáxatIwínshÁyatÁan

ÁlxayxChúush

Preservation

Many members of the Yakama Tribe are deep rooted in the traditions of their ancestors. They work hard to keep their culture alive so they can pass it to their children and share it with cultures from all around the world through their museums and cultural centers.

CreditsPictures and Information from the following:

•Kahn, Bonnie. "Bonnie Kahn's Wild West Gallery". April 1, 2009

<http://www.bonniekahngallery.com/bios.ihtml?pid=8&step=2>.

•"Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association". The Tulalip

Tribes.. April 5, 2009 <http://www.nnaba.org/basket.asp>.

•Yakima Indian Nation". Yakama Nation Cultural Center. April 2009

<http://www.ohwy.com/wa/y/yakamana.htm>.

•"Introduction and History". Yakama Nation Museum & Cultural Heritage

Center. April 2009 <http://www.yakamamuseum.com/showpage.php?

pageid=94a8db57>.

•"Yakama Indian Language (Yakima, Klickitat) ". Native Languages of the

Americas . April <http://www.native-languages.org/yakama.htm>.

•Gowder, Paul. "What is a Pow Wow?". April 6, 2009

<http://www.powwows.com/info/?p=47>.

•"The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation". CRITFC. April

1, 2009 <http://www.critfc.org/text/yakama.html>.

•"History of Yakama". April 9, 2009 <http://discoveryakama.com/>.

•Onboard Informatics, "Yakama Reservation, Washington". April 20, 2009

<http://www.city-data.com/city/Yakama-Reservation-Washington.html>.

•"Welcome to Toppenish". Toppenish Chamber of Commerce. April 9, 2009

<http://www.toppenish.net/toppenish/default.aspx?pg=445437fe-7df5-

4b72-bb0a-6860fb53726f>.

•" Identity By Design: Tradition, Change, and Celebration in Native

Women's Dresses ". The Smithsonian Institution . April 20, 2009

<http://newsdesk.si.edu/photos/nmai_identity.htm>.

•"Yakama Collection". National Museum of the American Indians

Collections. April 9, 2009

<http://americanindian.si.edu/searchcollections/results.aspx?

culid=1441>.

•"Yakama Forrest Products". April 20, 2009 <http://www.yakama-

forest.com/>.

•"Travel Blog". Yakama Nation Reserve. April 17, 2009

<http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/79347.html>.

•Incommand Computers of Yakima . "About Yakima". New Yakima Forum.

April 21, 2009 <http://www.yakima.net/about.php>.

•"Legends 5th Annual Pow Wow & Rodeo". Legends Casino. April 21, 2009

<http://www.yakamalegends.com/powwow.php>.