The Strong people.
Inspired by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s ancestral connection to our local waterways and the bounty they provide, The House of Seven Brothers features locally sourced seafood, produce, and protein from fisherman, farmers, and ranchers across the Olympic Peninsula. The House of Seven Brothers is inspired by a traditional S’Klallam story and is the next step in our continuous effort to build the future while remembering the past.
How it all began.
For thousands of years, the S’Klallam (“strong”) people lived in villages along the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula, moving with the seasonal resources and living in harmony with nature. While historians originally thought that man could be traced back 10,000 years on the Olympic Peninsula, the discovery of the Manis Mastadon in 1977 offered definitive evidence that humans, presumably Natives, hunted on the Olympic Peninsula as long as 14,000 years ago. In addition to hunting in the mountains and harvesting and fishing in the salt and fresh waters of the area, the S’Klallams maintained the Sequim prairie by burning it back each year, to create habitat for berries and other edible plants, and new grass to feed the deer and elk they hunted. Their culture relied heavily on the red cedar tree, which provided wood for shelter and canoes as well as bark which was used for clothing and blankets.
In the 19th century, non-Indian settlers began to arrive in the area, desiring the same abundant lands and waters that were so important to the S’Klallam people. In 1855, the S’Klallam leaders signed a treaty with the federal government with the understanding that they would always be able to hunt, fish and gather in their “usual and accustomed” grounds. Yet over time, the settlers forced the S’Klallam to move off of their traditional lands. The S’Klallam people looked for ways to preserve their lifestyle, identity and cultural ways.
In 1874, under the leadership of Lord James Balch, the S’Klallam people living in the Dungeness area decided that in order to survive, they had to adopt a new value system that included property ownership. They pooled $500 in gold coins and purchased the 210-acres along the Strait, now called Jamestown. Many S’Klallams joined the local work force, as farmers and dairymen. Others continued to practice their traditional hunting and fishing, using these goods for trade with the local settlers.
Throughout the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century, the S’Klallam people withstood racism by local citizens who often treated the darkest-skinned among them as second class citizens. They also weathered many political struggles with the federal, state and local governments, which at times recognized them as a sovereign people (as promised in the Treaty of Point No Point), but more often did not—instead choosing to refuse them any treaty rights. Still, the S’Klallam people raised families, worshiped, contributed to the local economy, and sent their children to schools in Sequim.
In the 1970s, the Jamestown S’Klallam people joined with Tribes across the nation in a movement to gain justice for those whose treaty rights had been ignored for more than a century by the federal government. Through a long legal process, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe was “re-recognized” by the United States government on February 10, 1981. This finally confirmed the Tribe’s rights as a sovereign nation, and as they formed a government (similar to any local, state or federal government), they became eligible for certain programs to build economic security for their people and to protect their traditional resources.
Under the leadership of W. Ron Allen, Tribal Chair since 1977, the many S’Klallam leaders who have worked on Tribal Council and Tribal committees, and the Tribal staff who have worked on the Tribe’s behalf for the past four decades, the Tribe has become a highly collaborative, well-respected partner in dozens of programs in the areas of economic development, health care, natural resources, cultural preservation and the arts. The Tribe is now the second largest employer in Clallam County.
In the 19th century, non-Indian settlers began to arrive in the area, desiring the same abundant lands and waters that were so important to the S’Klallam people. In 1855, the S’Klallam leaders signed a treaty with the federal government with the understanding that they would always be able to hunt, fish and gather in their “usual and accustomed” grounds. Yet over time, the settlers forced the S’Klallam to move off of their traditional lands. The S’Klallam people looked for ways to preserve their lifestyle, identity and cultural ways.
In 1874, under the leadership of Lord James Balch, the S’Klallam people living in the Dungeness area decided that in order to survive, they had to adopt a new value system that included property ownership. They pooled $500 in gold coins and purchased the 210-acres along the Strait, now called Jamestown. Many S’Klallams joined the local work force, as farmers and dairymen. Others continued to practice their traditional hunting and fishing, using these goods for trade with the local settlers.
Throughout the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century, the S’Klallam people withstood racism by local citizens who often treated the darkest-skinned among them as second class citizens. They also weathered many political struggles with the federal, state and local governments, which at times recognized them as a sovereign people (as promised in the Treaty of Point No Point), but more often did not—instead choosing to refuse them any treaty rights. Still, the S’Klallam people raised families, worshiped, contributed to the local economy, and sent their children to schools in Sequim.
In the 1970s, the Jamestown S’Klallam people joined with Tribes across the nation in a movement to gain justice for those whose treaty rights had been ignored for more than a century by the federal government. Through a long legal process, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe was “re-recognized” by the United States government on February 10, 1981. This finally confirmed the Tribe’s rights as a sovereign nation, and as they formed a government (similar to any local, state or federal government), they became eligible for certain programs to build economic security for their people and to protect their traditional resources.
Under the leadership of W. Ron Allen, Tribal Chair since 1977, the many S’Klallam leaders who have worked on Tribal Council and Tribal committees, and the Tribal staff who have worked on the Tribe’s behalf for the past four decades, the Tribe has become a highly collaborative, well-respected partner in dozens of programs in the areas of economic development, health care, natural resources, cultural preservation and the arts. The Tribe is now the second largest employer in Clallam County.
THE REST OF THE STORY.
Mary Ann Lambert’s book tells the genealogical story of the House of Seven Brothers—detailing exploits of the seven brothers and their little sister, their lineage, and “their struggles to adjust to a new way of life after the coming of the white man.”
The seven Ste-Tee-Thlum brothers, offspring of Chief Ste-Tee-Thlum and the Princess of Nanaimo, “all grew to manhood, tall, lithe of body, handsome and alert, ever excelling members of their tribe in sports and industry.” The citizens of the present-day Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe can trace their lineage back to these eight siblings.
Nothing is known of the first two brothers of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum.
T’what-ski, the third brother of seven, was so fleet of foot that on one occasion he successfully outwitted the leader of a wolf pack in an exciting and hazardous chase across the Sequim prairie to the beach village of Ste-Tee-Thlum. At this time, this part of the Olympic Peninsula was inhabited with hundreds of wolves (from whom the S’Klallam were thought to have descended) roaming the country in packs. T-what-ski married a Cowichan maiden.
Ha-que-ni’elth, the fourth brother of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, married a woman from Lummi Island. They had three daughters and one son.
Que-ni-a’som, the fifth son of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, was a wanderer. He married the daughter of a Clallam Bay seaman and fathered two daughters, but he was lost at sea.
Whe-yux, the sixth brother of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, fathered S’yah-whom, who was born in Qatay (Port Townsend). He lived there with his parents until he met and fell in love with a Samish princess whom he married, thus becoming chief of the Samish Island Tribe. They had two daughters.
Lach-ka-nim, the seventh brother of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, had four daughters and one son (Cheech-ma-ham, now known as Chetzemoka).
And the only sister, E’ow-itsa, married Y’alup-ken of the House of E’ennis (a Klallam village in what is now Port Angeles). They had two sons.
Adapted from The 7 Brothers of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, by Mary Ann Lambert, descendant of E’ow-itsa.
The seven Ste-Tee-Thlum brothers, offspring of Chief Ste-Tee-Thlum and the Princess of Nanaimo, “all grew to manhood, tall, lithe of body, handsome and alert, ever excelling members of their tribe in sports and industry.” The citizens of the present-day Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe can trace their lineage back to these eight siblings.
Nothing is known of the first two brothers of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum.
T’what-ski, the third brother of seven, was so fleet of foot that on one occasion he successfully outwitted the leader of a wolf pack in an exciting and hazardous chase across the Sequim prairie to the beach village of Ste-Tee-Thlum. At this time, this part of the Olympic Peninsula was inhabited with hundreds of wolves (from whom the S’Klallam were thought to have descended) roaming the country in packs. T-what-ski married a Cowichan maiden.
Ha-que-ni’elth, the fourth brother of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, married a woman from Lummi Island. They had three daughters and one son.
Que-ni-a’som, the fifth son of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, was a wanderer. He married the daughter of a Clallam Bay seaman and fathered two daughters, but he was lost at sea.
Whe-yux, the sixth brother of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, fathered S’yah-whom, who was born in Qatay (Port Townsend). He lived there with his parents until he met and fell in love with a Samish princess whom he married, thus becoming chief of the Samish Island Tribe. They had two daughters.
Lach-ka-nim, the seventh brother of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, had four daughters and one son (Cheech-ma-ham, now known as Chetzemoka).
And the only sister, E’ow-itsa, married Y’alup-ken of the House of E’ennis (a Klallam village in what is now Port Angeles). They had two sons.
Adapted from The 7 Brothers of the House of Ste-Tee-Thlum, by Mary Ann Lambert, descendant of E’ow-itsa.