Makah
http://makah.com/

1. Historical Information about the Culture

            The Makah tribe live on the coast in what is now northern Washington. Because of this, much of their livelihood and daily lives involved the sea. Beyond fishing, whale and seal hunting was also very important. Anyone who was able and had gone through the proper rituals could go seal hunting. However, whaling was an inherited right, as well as requiring a much more intensive ritual process.[ ] Hunters would spend weeks or even months during the winter preparing for the whaling expedition through prayers, fasting, and gathering specific ritual herbs.[ ][ ] Specific rituals were also used when bringing the whale ashore and butchering it. Fishing was historically a man’s job and women were not allowed to participate in the ritualized part of the butchering process. However, they helped with otherwise processing the whale to gather its meat, bone, oil, and skin.[ ]
            Women’s main job was gathering plants, herbs, and shellfish. They also cleaned and smoked or dried the fish the men brought back. Makah women also wove baskets, mostly from cedar, but also cherry wood, cattail, tule, and spruce root. The variety of weaves allowed baskets that could be used for gathering, holding water, and cooking.[ ]
            The Makah territory had relatively calm and sunny summers, but the winters were characterized by harsh storms and lots of rain.[ ] They had five permanent winter villages located along the northwestern coast, Waatch, Sooes, Deah, Ozette and Bahaada. During the summer, many traveled to summer camps, such as Kidickabit, Archawat, Hoko, Tatoosh Island, Ozette River and Ozette Lake, which were closer to their traditional fishing grounds.[ ]
            The Makah had close contact with many other tribes. They had agreements with several tribes, like the Clallam, that allowed them to fish in certain rivers and lakes as well as acting as middle men in a trading route in the area. More hostile relationships were also present the Makah and the Quileute, the Nitinaht – who were very closely related to them – and sometimes the Clallam as well.[ ]
            The Makah were also very conscious of rank and privileges. The headman stood at the top of the social spectrum with his family while the slaves were at the bottom. Each headman and his family owned certain resources, including wood, fishing areas, gathering areas, rights to technological innovations, and rights to certain songs and dances.[ ][ ] The rights to these songs was reaffirmed, as well as passed on to certain members of the family, at ceremonial feasts called potlatches.[ ]
            Potlatches were held by headmen, often with donation of food given by others as well in order to celebrate a gift of food, a public event like a daughter reaching maturity, or an event like a life crisis that would require the chieftainship to be passed on. The feasts were also held to create alliances, grant prestige and status onto those giving food, and reduce any envy of hostilities lower class people might be feeling.[ ] Many people came to the feasts by canoe and would come up the beach dancing and singing. Locals would then present their own songs and dances and thank the visitors for coming.[ ] Feasts held to pass the chieftainship, as well as give the new chief a chance to prove himself were known as Wolf rituals.[ ]

Bibliography
“About the Tribe.” Makah Tribe. Makah Tribal Council. Web. 16 Feb 2015. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/tribe/.

Suttles, Wayne, ed. Handbook of North American Indians: Northwest Coast. Vol. 7. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1990. Print.

“Whaling.” Makah Tribe. Makah Tribal Council. Web. 16 Feb 2015. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/whaling/.

2. Colonial Experiences of the Culture
            Before coming into contact with Europeans, the Makah Tribe held a large expanse of land on the northwest coast of Washington state, which included dense forests as well as land by the sea. The sea was especially crucial to the Makah because they relied heavily on fishing and whaling for food and trade. Under these conditions, the Makah flourished. After coming into contact with the Europeans, however, the Makah faced major problems and suffered tremendously as a result. Beginning in the late 1700s and continuing into the middle of the 19th century, thousands of tribal members died from epidemics of smallpox, tuberculosis, influenza, and whooping cough. These deaths left individual families and entire villages devastated. In the midst of this physical crisis, a more abstract one also occurred. As a result of all the sudden sickness and death, fear and confusion ran rampant among the Makah. In this distressed state of affairs, the transfer of traditional tribal knowledge was disrupted; the natural passing down of the tribe's old ways became strained, and many of those ways were lost in the process.[ ]
            On January 31, 1855, the Makah signed a treaty with the United States government. The 42 delegates representing the Makah were adamant about protecting the tribe's rights to hunt whale, seal, and fish, and these requirements were specifically addressed in the language of the treaty. In exchange for protecting these rights—as well as rights protecting the basic health, education, and welfare of the Makah people—the Makah signed over 300,000 acres of tribal land to the United States government. The reservation granted to the Makah consists of 27,000 acres, a small fraction of the land they once lived freely on. One benefit of the reservation is that it borders the Pacific Ocean, which allows the Makah to continue to live off the goods of the sea. However, tribal traditions have come into conflict with federal laws several times since the signing of the treaty, especially in regards to the Makah's practice of hunting whales (the section on contemporary developments will discuss this issue further). Additionally, after the treaty, representatives of the U.S. government attempted to assimilate the Makah by passing laws that discouraged Makah ceremonies, gatherings, and even the Makah language.[ ] It is a testament to the strength of the tribe's cultural heritage that the Makah today still largely live in line with their old ways, despite the challenges and tragedies they have faced as a result of coming into contact with the European colonists.
            In recent history, there has been an example of a more positive relationship between the Makah and outsiders. In the 1970s, several Makah houses and thousands of artifacts were excavated in a joint effort between the Makah people and archaeologists from Washington State University. A mudslide in the early 17th century had engulfed a Makah village near Lake Ozette, and the mud kept the houses and artifacts well-preserved. Among the artifacts, there were toys, bows and arrows, canoes, and hunting and fishing equipment. Many of these artifacts are now kept at the Makah Cultural and Research Center, which is located on the Makah reservation.[ ]

Bibliography

“About the Tribe.” Makah Tribe. Makah Tribal Council. Web. 10 Mar 2015. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/tribe/

"Makah Museum (Neah Bay, Washington)." Makah Museum. Makah Cultural and Research Center, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. http://makahmuseum.com/

Renker, Ann M. "The Makah Tribe: People of the Sea and the Forest." American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection. University of Washington Digital Collections. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. http://content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/renker.html

3. Contemporary Developments
            The Makah tribe has made efforts to maintain their heritage, language, and culture in the contemporary era. They continue to teach their language to children, “hold dance practices,” “participate in canoe journeys,” and “pass down ancient songs…and [compose] new songs to commemorate important events.”[ ] They hold a major public gathering, Makah Days, in late August to commemorate the “anniversary of becoming citizens of the United States.”[ ] During this event, members from the reservation reunite with those who have moved away. Other tribes in from Washington State and Vancouver Island join the celebration as well.[ ] They gather to celebrate their culture and heritage through dancing, canoe races, foot races, sports games, salmon bakes, and arts and crafts fairs. There is also a parade and fireworks, and the “coronation of the Royal Makah Court.”[ ] This event as well as many others throughout the year portray the pride that the Makah have for their heritage, culture, and native practices.
            The Makah reservation is located in Neah Bay, Washington. According to a census of 1999, there are 1,214 members enrolled in the Makah Tribe. 1,079 of these members reside in the reservation. The unemployment rate is 51% and nearly 49% of the reservation population has incomes below the federal poverty level.[ ] However, many Makah people graduate college and often return to the reservation to work for the tribe in schools and health clinics.[ ] After Congress passed a law allowing tribes to establish constitutions and to have elected governments on their reservations, the Makah tribe signed their Constitution and created the Tribal Council in 1936.[ ] The Tribal Council is a five-member council responsible for governance of the tribe. The Council develops and passes laws for the reservation and oversees departments such as the police, courts, natural resources, and road maintenance.[ ] Council members serve three-year terms and each year they elect a tribal chairperson. The tribe also has several departments that administer programs for the Makah people living on the reservation. Such departments include community planning and development, water quality, human resources, health, social services, education, natural resources, police, and public safety.[ ]
            Since the sea is a central aspect of the Makah lifestyle, fishing has been their primary source of income. Today, the Makah maintain this practice and usually fish for salmon, halibut and Pacific whiting.[ ] Whaling is also important as they use whale bones and meat for many purposes. This, however, has captured much attention recently. When the gray whale was no longer considered an endangered species, the Makah used that as a way to reinstate their whaling practices. After receiving support from the United States government and the International Whaling Commission, the tribe in 1999 hunted a gray whale.[ ]
            Despite some modernization, the Makah have preserved their unique culture and remain proud of their heritage. They continue to celebrate special occasions, practice rituals, teach the language to children, and engage in activities on the sea. They have established a reservation, a constitution, and governing body to improve the lives of the members and protect their rights as a native tribe.

Bibliography

“About the Tribe.” Makah Tribe. Makah Tribal Council. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/tribe/.

“Departments.” Makah Tribe. Makah Tribal Council. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/departments/.

“Makah Days.” Makah Tribe. Makah Tribal Council. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. http://makah.com/activities/makah-days/.

Renker, Ann M. “The Makah Tribe: People of the Sea and the Forest.” American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection. University of Washington Libraries. Web. 21 Feb 2015.

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