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The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, or simply Yakama Nation (formerly Yakima), is a Native American group with nearly 9,000 enrolled members, living in Washington state. Their reservation, along the Yakima River, covers an area of approximately 1.3 million acres (5,260 km²). Today the nation is governed by the Yakama Tribal Council, which consists of representatives of 14 tribes and bands.
History The Yakama people were similar to the other native inhabitants of the Columbia River Plateau. They lived off the abundant salmon in the Columbia River as well as berries from the nearby mountains. In 1805 they encountered the Lewis and Clark Expedition where the Yakima River merges with the Columbia River. As a consequence of the Walla Walla Council and the Yakima War of 1855, the tribe was moved onto their present reservation. The Treaty of 1855 identified the 14 confederated tribes and bands of the Yakama including "Yakama, Palouse," (now written "Palus"), "Pisquouse, Wenatshapam, Klikatat, Klinquit, Kow-was-say-ee, Li-ay-was, Skin-pah, Wish-ham, Shyiks, Ochechotes, Kah-milt-pay, and Se-ap-cat, confederated tribes and bands of Indians, occupying lands hereinafter bounded and described and lying in Washington Territory, who for the purposes of this treaty are to be considered as one nation, under the name 'Yakama'…". (Treaty with the Yakama, 1855) The name was changed from Yakima to Yakama in 1994 to reflect the native pronunciation. Language Yakama is a northwestern dialect of Sahaptin, a Sahaptian language of the Plateau Penutian family. Further reading | ||||||||
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