Everything about Klallam totally explained
Klallam (also
Clallam, although the spelling with "K" is preferred in all four modern Klallam communities) refers to four related
indigenous Native American/
First Nations communities from the
Pacific Northwest of
North America. The Klallam culture is classified ethnographically and linguistically in the
Coast Salish subgroup. Three Klallam bands live on the
Olympic Peninsula in the far northwest corner (bordering the
Strait of Juan de Fuca) of
Washington state, and one is based at
Becher Bay on southern
Vancouver Island in
British Columbia.
Name variants and usage
The indigenous name for the tribe is nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm
, (meaning "strong people"), The word "Klallam" comes from the
North Straits Salish language name for the Klallam people, [xʷstɬ'æləm], This has had a wide variety of English spellings including "Chalam", "Clalam", "Clallem", "Clal-lum", "Khalam", "Klalam", "Noodsdalum", "Nooselalum", "Noostlalum", "Tlalum", "Tlalam", "Wooselalim", "S'Klallam", "Ns'Klallam", "Klallam" and "Clallam". "Clallam" was used by the
Washington Territory legislature in 1854 when it created
Clallam County. The following year "S'klallam" was used in the
Point No Point Treaty. In the following decades the simpler "Klallam" or "Clallam" predominated in the media and research literature. In 1981 "S'Klallam" was used when the
United States Department of the Interior officially recognized the Lower Elwha, Jamestown, and Port Gamble (or Little Boston) tribes.
The
Jamestown tribe has adopted "S'Klallam" as its official spelling.
History
Pre-Contact
Before the arrival of Europeans to the
Pacific Northwest the territory inhabited by the Klallam stretched across the north coast of the
Olympic Peninsula from the
Pacific Ocean to
Puget Sound and also included the souther tip of
Vancouver Island across the
Strait of Juan de Fuca. Klallam villages were mostly located along the coast, while some villages were inland along rivers, inlets or large lakes.
Based on early interviews of tribal elders by early ethnologists and anthropoligists, the estimated number of Klallam villages has ranged from ten to over thirty, with some ambiguity in distinguishing permanent from seasonal settlements, and some villages with mixed or disputed tribal identity.
While language and tradition united the Klallam people, there were extensive trade, inter-marriage, and other forms of cooperation between the Klallam and surrounding tribes. The Klallam shared villages with the
Makah on the Pacific Coast as far south at the
Hoh River, and fishing villages with the
Twana as far south as the
Hamma Hamma River on the
Hood Canal. The
Quimper Peninsula was shared with the
Chemakum tribe.
Transportation
The rugged terrain and dense vegetation of the Olympic Peninsula made the
canoe the preferred mode of transportation. The canoes were carved from
western red cedar (
Thuja plicata) through an intricate and arduous process requiring great skill, beginning with the selection of the proper tree. Stone adzes, fire, and heated water were used to hollow and shape the canoe. This knowledge was passed to a select few of each generation, and some of the canoes were purchased from other tribes, especially the larger ones.
There were two main types of canoes used by the Klallam: The smaller
Coast Salish type used on protected waters, and the larger
Chinook style for use in rougher waters. The smaller type of canoe had a rounded bottom and was 12-30 feet long, 20-48 inches wide, and 9-20 inches deep. This type was used on calm waters for fishing or to haul small loads. The larger canoes had flat bottoms and could be over long, six feet wide, and three feet deep. These were used on the rougher waters of
Puget Sound, the
Strait of Juan de Fuca, and in particular off the Pacific coast, for whaling, transporting larger loads, and carrying up to thirty passengers.
Early white settlers in the area noted the great skill the Klallam used in canoe handling and navigation, and that the Klallam canoes tended to be larger than those used by other Puget Sound tribes.
Diet
The lands, rivers, marine waters, and beaches in Klallam territory provided an abundant, year-round supply of food. Strategic intertribal marriages and agreements also allowed them permission to hunt or forage outside their homeland. Though their diet included large and small land game, sea fowl, and shellfish, the most important source of food was fish. Salmon played a significant nutritional and spiritual role in the Klallam culture.
The Klallam fished year round using a variety of tools and techniques particular to the species, location, and season. They were known to use traps, trolling, gillnets, spears, rakes, dip nets, and holes dug in the beach. Specific locations were known to produce certain fishes at the right time of year, and special implements and skills were employed for a successful catch.
Photographs
Image:Klallam people near canoe.jpg|Klallam people near canoe
Image:Klallam chief, Chits-a-man-han & his wife.jpg|chief Chits-a-man-han & wife
Image:Klallam men in western clothes on beach.jpg|Klallam men in western clothes on beach
Image:Klallam pole for catching ducks.jpg|Klallam pole for netting ducks
Tribal groups
Further Information
Get more info on 'Klallam'.
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