A little about us……We are located on ancestral grounds of our 1,377,034 square acre reservation which consist of the following; acres of timber, grazing and agricultural landscape located in the south-central portion of the State of Washington.  Of the original 10.8 million acres claimed by the Yakama’s 1.4 million acres, was set aside by the Treaty of 1855 as the Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Reservation.  All of the remaining land was ceded to the United States Government.

Generations before the advance of the modern world, the land of the Yakama’s extended in all directions along the Cascade Mountain Range to the Columbia River and beyond.  We considered it land given in trust by the Creator for us to use of the living a heritage to be held and protected for unborn generations.

WHAT “YAKAMA” MEANS

There are interpretations of “Yakama” 1.) a growing family 2.) A tribal expansion 3.) Pregnant ones (Something growing or something big).  These interpretations were not used locally, but were used by Spokane or Salish neighbors.  The original name of the Yakama’s may have been “Taoteil” or “Wap-tail-min” meaning a narrow river people, referring to the narrows in the Yakima River at Union Gap where a large village was situated.

CONFEDERATED TRIBES AND BANDS OF THE YAKAMA NATION

The ancestors of today’s Yakama’s are of different tribes and bands.  Each was sizeable ground under a council of leaders, which spoke its own Sahaptin dialect, and were closely related to other branches.  The following are the names of these tribes and bands that participated in or were names as part of the CONFEDERATED TRIBES & BANDS OF THE YAKAMA NATION:

Kah-miltpah,                       Klickitat,                     Klinquit,                            Kow-was-say-ee,

Oche-Chotes,                     Posquouse,               Shyiks,                               Li-ay-was,

Palouse,                                See-ap-Cat,             Sk’in-pah,                        Wish-ham,

Wenatchapam,                 Yakama Nation

At the signing of the Treaty of 1855, which took place near the present day Walla Walla, Washington.  The 14 Tribes and Bands were confederated into the Yakama Nation.  The 14 leaders who signed the Treaty of 1855 were:

   Elit Palmer,                           Owhi,                           Kamaiakun                    Wish-och-knipits

                   Sch-noo-a,                           Sla-kish,                       Me-ni-nock,                   Koo-lat-toose,

                   Te-cole-kun,                        Skloom,                       Ka-loo-as,                       Shee-ah-cotte,

                   Tuck-quille,                          La-hoom,

The first formal Yakama Nation Agency was established in 1859.  After hostiles with the United States military subsided, the chosen location was the abandoned military base, Ft. Simcoe, in present day White Swan, WA. Ft. Simcoe originally known as Toppenish Creek was a camp site and hub of travel to the usual and accustom fishing, hunting, root gathering and huckleberry picking areas.

Troops occupying the Fort, renamed the area “Simcoe Valley.”  The name is derived form the Yakama word “Sim Quwe” pronounced “Sim Ku We,” which means “saddle back” or “a dip between who hills like a saddle back.”

After nearly a century later in 1944, the Yakama Nation Agency was formally established in Toppenish, WA.  Approximately 30 miles east of Fort Simcoe, WA.  A governmental body of 14 members are elected by the General council and authorized to transact all business of behalf of the Yakama Nation.  The General council which elect our officials for the Yakama Nation, are comprised of enrolled members over 18 years of age.  This system of election is still practiced today.  Current enrollment for the Yakama Nation is 9,847 members on and off the reservation.

Our Nation has many new and older established Enterprises, such as : Yakama Business & Technology Centers; Yakama Forest Products;  Yakama Juice, LLC:  Yakama Power,  YN Land Enterprise-Fruit Stand & RV Park;  YN Credit Enterprise;  YN Cultural Heritage Center-Gift Shop, Library, Museum, Restaurant & Theater;  Yakama Nation KYNR Radio AM 1490; Yakama Nation Legends Casino;  Yakama Nation Review-Newspaper;  Yakama Nation Travel Agency;  Yakama Sun Kings;  Yakamart at Pahto Crossing-Gas Station, Convenience Store & Smoke Shop; and also YN Hunting, Fishing & Recreation permits for our open areas.

We hope to see you and your family at one of our many pow wows we have through the year, have a safe trip.

The Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Nation

PO Box 151     Toppenish, WA 98948       (509) 865-5121      tourism@yakama.com

March 2007