Wanapum
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The Wanapum Indian tribe formerly lived along the Columbia River from above Priest Rapids down to the mouth of the Snake River in what is now the State of Washington. About 60 Wanapum still live near the present day site of Wanapum Dam.[1]
[edit] History
In prehistoric times, the tribe's territory (and still is) an excellent salmon-fishing area. The tribe made houses from tule and cut over 300 petroglyphs into the basalt cliffs.[1] In 1805, according to the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Wanapum, led by their chief Cutssahnem, greeted the expedition and treated its members well, sharing food and entertainment.[2] Captain Clarkâs journals provide descriptions of their dwellings, clothing, and physical characteristics.
In the 1800's, a new Native religion, called Washane or Washani,created by a spiritual leader of the Wanapum named Smowhala.[3] Adherents to this religion believed that the white man would disappear, if rituals and traditional life was adhered to; instead of participating in armed conflicts, people prayed. Whether due to this religion or for other reasons, the tribe never fought white settlers, did not sign a treaty with them, and as a result retained no federally-recognized right to the land.
In 1953 the construction of the Priest River Dam and the Wanapum Dam flooded the riverbanks where the Wanapum had lived in traditional tule houses.
[edit] Heritage
About 60 Wanapum petroglyghs were blasted from the rock and may be viewed at the Ginkgo/Wanapum State Park.
A Wanapum Heritage Center Museum displays artifacts of the time before the dams[4], while the Wanapum River Patrol keeps watch over the ancestral lands, monitoring locations of special significance to the Wanapum to protect those places from depredation, and also providing information to visitors.
The Washane religion is still practiced by some members of other tribes. [5].
[edit] References
- ^ a b Tate, Cassandra (2005). Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park. historylink.org. Retrieved on December 02, 2006.
- ^ Wanapum Indians. National Geographic. Retrieved on December 02, 2006.
- ^ Columbia River Dams. cwnp.org. Retrieved on December 02, 2006.
- ^ Wanapum Heritage Center Museum. Grant County Public Utility District. Retrieved on December 02, 2006.
- ^ Global Security: Hanford Site. GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on December 02, 2006.
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