The Quileute Tribe Of La-Push Washington by Richard Hensley

IMCA had mailed out letters to most of the Native American tribes in the United States. One reply came back from the Quileute Tribe in La-Push, Washington. We were invited to visit their reservation. After contacting them, they suggested we cQme during their Elders Gathering Week, May 15 thru 20, 1995. Elders are the older persons, not priesthood. Native people have a lot of respect for the older people and honor them in many ways.

Elders Paul Simmons and myself were chosen for the mission. We were able to secure special stand-by passes on TW A which was a savings in travel expenses. We were to leave Monday, but all flights to St. Louis were filled so we fmally left early Tuesday morning arriving safely at St. Louis and then on to Seattle, Washington. After renting a car we drove several hundred miles to La-Push arriving Wednesday morning. The weather the flfst day was filled with rain and mist with a heavy cloud cover. After locating the Tribal office we were directed to the new BIA school facility where the Elders were gathered.

Native people are generally suspicious about strange anglo people attending their gatherings. After introducing ourselves and explaining that we had come all the way from Missouri to share with them, it seemed to make an impression upon them. Soon we were visiting and mingling among the people and being accepted by them. The Quileutes are a very friendly and happy people with a great sense of humor.

During the week the Tribe provided breakfast and lunch for the visiting Elders.  Wednesday night Paul and I were visited by an elderly anglo couple who were also visiting for several days. They had lived among the people for some time a few years back. During our evening meal and visit, Paul and I found out that they belonged to a canoe club. And sure enough there on the top of their RV was their canoe. They were disappointed that they could not spend the whole week, but they had a canoe meet somewhere else. For their age they certainly were energetic. We had a nice visit and they wanted to be put on IMCA's mailing list.

The Quileute people are a sea faring people and the sea provided an abundant food source for them years ago. Now the fishing is poor due to over fishing and clear cutting timber. Clear cutting timber causes silt and other fme sediments to settle in the streams and the salmon do not
do well in these spawning waters. - Therefore, the salmon fishing is also poor.

They have a beautiful harbor and fishing boats, but it is hard to make a living anymore by fishing. The Quileute Reservation is now one square mile, but prior to the treaty they had 900 square miles. Like most of the treaties, the Native Americans have lost most, if not all, of their land. There is 80% unemployment among the Quileutes, so the people struggle to survive. Most of the Quileute Tribe belong to the Shaker religion. This religion is not connected to the Pennsylvania Shakers, but appears to be Catholic in many ways. We were not able to find much out about the Christian Shaker religion, but we will be corresponding with them to learn more about it.

Some of the activities were: making driftwood planters, weaving cedar head bands and making fish sticks for cooking the salmon. They showed videos and had a story telling contest. I told the story about the Talking Rocks which was well received. Of course everyone who told a story won.

During class at the school, the visiting Elders would share traditional stories with the students. One lady told the story about. the whale people and sang an old song which would bring a whale to a Quileute woman. After the story telling time was over, someone looked out the window to the cove and saw the whales coming in. The whales stayed in the cove all during the remainder of our stay that week. The Elders said it had been years since the whale had come into the cove.

As a result of contacts made on our first visit, we have been invited to visit five other tribes in the Washington area. Elders Paul Simmons and Everett Alldredge with their wives left for Washington September 22, 1995 for a return visit to the Quileute people and the other tribes. We would appreciate your prayers for the Quileute people as they continue to struggle and bear
their burdens.