The Swinomish Indian Reservation, at 48°24′01″N 122°31′38″W / 48.40028°N 122.52722°W / 48.40028; -122.52722, has a land area of 12.116 sq mi (31.381 km²) and a 2000 census resident population of 2,664 persons, with 23% being full-blood Native Americans.
The Swinomish moved onto reservation lands after the signing of the Point Elliott Treaty in 1855.
The Swinomish reservation is a confederation of several distinct tribes of Coast Salish, including the Swinomish, Kikiallus, Lower Skagit, Samish, and even a few Sauk-Suiattle. Some Samish tribal members have achieved legal re-recognition separately for the Samish Indian Nation on April 26, 1996 and its government offices are located nearby in Anacortes, Washington. The Kikiallus (Ki Ki Allus) were among the first inhabitants of Fir Island, the Skagit River Delta and Valley and the adjacent coastline and islands. As a matter of record the chief of the tribe, John Lyons AKA (Chief Patch-Akadim ), gave a deposition for the Kikiallus tribe at Swinomish Indian Reservation on March 8, 1927. Chief Lyons is also known for his whimsical toy creations called "folk" Totem Toys. These toys feature mostly small boat like wooded carvings with totems or animals figureheads, brightly painted for sale to tourists. These toys are highly prized today by collectors and historians alike.
Read more about this topic: Swinomish People
Famous quotes containing the words indian and/or reservation:
“Thus you have an Indian availing himself cunningly of the advantages of civilization, without losing any of his woodcraft, but proving himself the more successful hunter for it.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Music is so much a part of their daily lives that if an Indian visits another reservation one of the first questions asked on his return is: “What new songs did you learn?””
—Federal Writers’ Project Of The Wor, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)