Name: Carley Wood and Sabrina Pridemore Date: 5/2/16

Tulalip Indians
Description:
The Tulalip (pronounced Tuh-lay-lup) Indian Tribe is one of the Coast Salish Tribes of Puget
Sound. The Tulalip Reservation is located in Western Washington- the land was reserved not only for
the Tulalip Indians, but other allied tribes as well. This land was reserved for the use and benefit of
Indian tribes, and the land of the Tulalip Reservation is full of natural resources. These resources
include: marine waters, tidelines, fresh water creeks and lakes, and forests. The Tulalip Indians are part
of a federally recognized tribe. The tribe currently has a population of about 4,000 people and it
continues to grow.
The Tulalip Tribe speaks Lushootseed, a traditional coastal Salish language, however the
language hasnt always had a strong history. During the late 19th century and early 20th century many
of the children within the tribe were sent to special schools to learn a new language and become more
mainstream. It was also around this time that the tribe decided to make a change when it came to
teaching the traditional language. The tribe established the Tribal Cultural Resource Department,
which goal was to preserve the tribes traditional language and culture. Another change that they made
was having a Master Language teacher, as well as eight other language teachers. These teachers go into
schools at Tulalip and help teach students the traditional language of Lushootseed.

Words to Know:
Lushootseed Language English Language
i Hello
ub Okay
sal x How are you?
ha syayus Good job
stab ki adsuhuy What are you doing?

Facts:
o Geographic: The Tulalip Tribes Reservation is located in the mid-Puget Sound area, 30 miles
north of Seattle and Marysville, Washington. Within the Tulalip Reservation there is about
22,000 acres of land. Today there are around 2,500 members that live on the reservation.
o Historical: The Tulalip Tribes was organized under the Reorganization Act of 1934. The
Reorganization Act of 1934 promoted greater Indian autonomy.
o Economic: The Pacific Northwest was very attractive for the economic potential. The Tribe
followed a fishing, hunting, and gathering way of life based on the seasons and the resources
that are available at certain times. The rivers and bays gave abundant amounts of food, which
ultimately connected them to many trading opportunities. Fishing is very big and a major form
of income for the Tulalip Indians.

Contributions:
o The Tulalip Tribe contributed to the gaming industry when they opened a casino. Tulalips first
casino opened on July 20, 1992. They were the second tribe in Washington State to open a
casino. Today the Tribes operate two casinos, a bingo parlor as well as a 12-story hotel, Tulalip
Resort Casino.
Name: Carley Wood and Sabrina Pridemore Date: 5/2/16
o The Tulalip Tribe has also created a charitable giving program that helps to support different
county non-profit organizations. The Tulalip Tribe has donated millions of dollars to more than
225 charitable organizations. They work together with the community to give benefits back to
others to help build a stronger neighborhood. They are committed to improving law
enforcement, safety, health care, and the employment in our community.

People:
o Isaac I. Stevens: He was the governor and superintendent of Indian affairs and he signed the
Treaty of Point Elliott in Mukilteo, Washington on January 22, 1855. It was shortly after the
signing of this treaty that the Tulalip Tribe was established.
o William Shelton: He was able to keep the Tulalip culture alive in the 1920s and 1930s. He
organized numerous events that explained the Tulalip Culture to educate the overall community
outside of the tribe. He interviewed elders in the tribe, collected all of their stories and then
carved a story pole and each figure on that pole represented a story that he heard

Characteristics:
o Honesty and integrity: Staying true to your word and respecting people who want to stay true to
their word.
o Generosity: Children learn early on the skill of generosity and only using something for as long
as you need it and then passing it on for someone else who is in need.
o Natural law: Respecting all the things around them and an appreciation for the events that
happen during their life.

Application:
o Learning Objectives: Students will be able to better understand Tulalip Indians traditional
language, Lushootseed.
o Connections: Students will be able to make connections between their own culture and the
culture of Tulalip Indians.
o Activities: Students will complete research and learn one or two phrases in Lushootseed and
will then share that phrase with the rest of the class, as well as the English translation.
o Assessment: Students will be assessed by their phrase and the English translation that they
decide to share with the class.
o Parents: Students can involve their parents or guardians by sharing the information that they
have learned with them.

Resources:
Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little,
Brown. (Fiction book)
Dover, H. S. (2015). Tulalip, from my heart: An autobiographical account of a reservation community.
(Non-fiction book)
Snohomish Culture and History. (2015). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from http://www.native-
languages.org/snohomish.htm (Website)
Tulalip Tribes. (2011). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from
http://local.townsquarepublications.com/washington/marysville/03/topic.html (Other)
Tulalip Tribes. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from http://www.tulaliptribes-nsn.gov/Home.aspx
(Organization)