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Washington Tribes

Washingtontribes.org is an education program sponsored by the Washington Indian Gaming Association

Washington's 29 federally-recognized tribes are investing in projects to create jobs in their communities, to preserve and share native culture, to restore the environment and responsibly manage natural resources, to provide better health care, and to improve public safety.

08/28/2026

Happy Friday from Washington Tribes!

Summer may be winding down, but there's still plenty of time to soak up the long days, warm afternoons, and all the beauty Washington has to offer.

Here's to enjoying these last weeks of summer and making them count.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend!

08/26/2026

Amazing job Suquamish Tribe!!

08/21/2026

Happy Friday from Washington Tribes!

A little rain never hurt a Washington weekend! Whether you're out exploring or enjoying a cozy day closer to home, we hope you find a little time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the weekend.

Take care of one another and have a great Friday!

08/19/2026

What's in a Word, Washington? Enumclaw

Though it's exact translation has been interpreted in different ways over the years, the City of Enumclaw describes it as meaning "loud thundering noise" or "thundering mountain," referring to the powerful sounds of wind and thunder from nearby Enumclaw Mountain.

Long before the modern city was established, the Enumclaw Plateau was home to Coast Salish peoples whose descendants are connected to the Muckleshoot Tribe.

Another Washington place name carrying forward the Indigenous history of this land.

08/14/2026

Happy Friday from Washington Tribes!

Warm summer days are meant to be enjoyed!

We hope you get out and experience the sunshine, stay safe, and have a wonderful weekend, Washington!

08/12/2026

What's in a Word, Washington? Kitsap

If you live around Puget Sound, you know the name Kitsap, Kitsap County, the Kitsap Peninsula, Naval Base Kitsap...but do you know who the name honors?

Kitsap is named for Chief Kitsap, a respected Suquamish leader who lived in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He was known as a powerful leader and warrior whose influence extended throughout the Puget Sound region.

Today, his name remains across the peninsula that's been home to the Suquamish people since time immemorial.

08/07/2026

Happy Friday from Washington Tribes!

Did you know? Every Tribal Nation has its own unique story. There is no single "Native American culture."

08/05/2026

What's in word, Washington? Steilacoom

Steilacoom comes from the Lushootseed name Scht'ləqʷəm (also written č'tilqwəbš), a name associated with the Steilacoom people and commonly understood to mean "place of the pink flower." The name refers to the small pink wildflowers—known today as fringecup or "Indian pink" that once covered the bluffs overlooking Puget Sound.

Long before Washington's first incorporated town was established in 1854, this was the homeland of the Steilacoom people, whose villages, culture, and connections to the land stretched across the Tacoma Basin.

Every place name has a story. What's another Washington town you'd like us to feature?

08/04/2026

The return of Chinook salmon to the North Fork Toutle River is more than a conservation success, it's a powerful reminder of the long-term stewardship Tribal Nations provide for their ancestral homelands.

Congratulations to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and all of the partners who helped make this milestone possible. Their decades of dedication are helping restore salmon runs for future generations.

07/29/2026

What's in a Word, Washington? Jamestown

Despite popular belief, the Jamestown in Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe isn't a colonial place name. It honors James Balch, a S'Klallam leader.

In 1874, rather than leave their ancestral homeland, Balch and other S'Klallam families pooled their resources to purchase land near Dungeness, creating a permanent community they named Jamestown in his honor.

Today, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe continues to thrive on that foundation of resilience, self-determination, and connection to their ancestral homeland.

Address

525 Pear ST SE
Olympia, WA
98501

Website

http://www.washingtontribes.org/

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