Native American Culture

The Yakama people lived off the
plentiful fish from the Columbia
River, as well as berries from the
mountains. Around 1806, they
encountered the Lewis and Clark
Expedition . As a result of the
Walla Walla Council and the
Yakima War of 1855 , the tribe
was moved onto their present
reservation.

The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation are descendents
of 14 tribes that were federally recognized under the Yakama Treaty of 1855.
More than 8,800 people are enrolled in the Yakama confederation of tribes.
There are more than 13,700 people living on or near the reservation.
The name was changed from Yakima to Yakama in 1994 to reflect the
Native pronunciation.

Beaded bag
1900
Yakama two-hide dress
1890 Hide moccasins
1890

Major industries currently include agriculture, food processing, wood
products, forestry, and manufacturing.

Native delicacies Luk-a-meen (fish stew), Indian Fry Bread, Buffalo
Stew, Buffalo Steak, Salmon, and Huckleberries ,

And traditions still in practice.
Practices still alive in our modern day society include
basket weaving, pow-wows, Native American cuisine,
jewelry making, and blanket weaving.

Examples of Klickitat Baskets from the Yamaka Tribe.

Powwows are for dancing, singing, socializing,

and honoring American Indian culture.

Pow Wow Singers
As various tribes gathered together, they would share their songs. Sometimes
the singers of one tribe would change the songs so singers of different tribes
could join. This is how vocables were created. Vocables replace the words of
the old songs.
© Gathering of Nations, Ltd.

This includes
paintings, beadwork, b
lankets, and jewelry.

Yakama is a Penutian language of the Western Plateau. It is spoken

natively by only a few dozen Yakama and Klickitat elders . There
Yakama Nation has an active language revitalization program
underway to teach it to future generations.
Yakama:
English:
Náxs
One
Nápt
Two
Mítaat
Three
Pínapt
Four
Páxat
Five
Iwínsh
Man
Áyat
Woman
Áan
Sun
Álxayx
Moon
Chúush
Water

Preservation
Many members of the
Yakama Tribe are
deep rooted in the
traditions of their
ancestors. They work
hard to keep their
culture alive so they
can pass it to their
children and share it
with cultures from all
around the world
through their
museums and cultural
centers.

Pictures and Information from the following:
•Kahn, Bonnie. \"Bonnie Kahn's Wild West Gallery\". April 1, 2009
<http://www.bonniekahngallery.com/bios.ihtml?pid=8&step=2>.
•\"Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association\". The Tulalip Tribes.. April 5, 2009
<http://www.nnaba.org/basket.asp>.
•Yakima Indian Nation\". Yakama Nation Cultural Center. April 2009
<http://www.ohwy.com/wa/y/yakamana.htm>.
•\"Introduction and History\". Yakama Nation Museum & Cultural Heritage Center. April 2009