It is an honor to be asked to write a piece about my ancestors, the P’Squosa, and my current venture, Wenatchi Wear, for Explore Washington State. For reference, the P’Squosa are also the šnp̍šqáw̍š̍x (people in the between) whom, after colonization, were given the name Wenatchi. I am a member of the Colville Confederated Tribe — Wenatchi, Moses and Entiat bands and a descendant of the Blackfoot Tribe. My husband, Rob, and I launched Wenatchi Wear in April of 2019.
Wenatchi Wear
Wenatchi Wear is passionate about creating awareness and empowering Indigenous communities through authentic threads. We design with a purpose, meaning each of our designs has a story behind it focusing on local Native American history. From there we produce our designs on garments, stickers, art prints, mugs and more. While we are able to reach a broader audience with important history, our top priority is to regain a fraction of the P’Squosa homelands. There are many Native Americans that live in the valley and surrounding area. To date, the Wenatchi Tribe does not own a piece of their original homelands. With no claim to a piece of territory, the P’Squosa are not able to host community gatherings, practice traditions, conduct tribal meetings, or complete many other important matters on our original homelands.
Representing My Culture
As we navigated launching our second business, I knew that it had to be more than just purchasing an item. I wanted to create a community founded on education while proudly representing my culture. Growing up in the valley, I realized that true Native American history is not taught in grade schools, which seems odd as the town we live in is named after the Wenatchi. Native American history is difficult to hear or understand as the culture has been romanticized for many years. I have been asked many times if there are any Wenatchi Tribal members still alive, which is a difficult question to hear. Yes, we are still alive and there are still members that live on their homelands. We are a part of the land and the land is a part of us. The P’Squosa have been here for thousands of years, before there was a written language and an official name given to us.
P’Squosa History
The land that is currently referred to as Wenatchee, Cashmere, Monitor, Dryden, Leavenworth, Lake Wenatchee, and beyond were once destined to be the Wenatchi Reservation. The P’Squosa was given the name Wenatchi by the Yakama tribe, and our current towns, cities and rivers are phonetically named after the original stewards of these lands. The P’Squosa would travel along the Icicle, Wenatchee and Columbia rivers throughout the year fishing, hunting and harvesting berries. Many tribes would gather during the summer months along the Icicle River to fish salmon, and these waters were once described as flowing red when the salmon were plentiful.
A few major turning points for the P’Squosa occurred during the 1855 and 1893 treaty agreements between several tribes and the government. The U.S. government proposed a treaty to the P’Squosa that would give the tribe a 36-square-mile reservation at the confluence of the Icicle and Wenatchee rivers and guarantee their hunting and gathering rights in an area called the Wenatchapam Fishery. However, when Wenatchi Chief Harmelt met with government officials to discuss the treaty, he requested the government wait while he went back to the tribe to discuss further with the tribe. While Chief Harmelt was away, the government officials met with the Yakama Tribe and proceeded to mislead the Yakama by lying and saying that the Wenatchi Tribe already agreed and signed the treaty. The Yakama proceeded to sign the treaty, giving them continued fishing and hunting rights. The treaty promising the P’Squosa their own reservation, was never an actual proposal the government intended to follow through with. The government failed to uphold two treaties with the P’Squosa primarily for monetary benefits.
The Fight to Regain Land
During this time, the railroad was being built in the Pacific Northwest, and the government officials were far more invested in this project. The result was disastrous to the Wenatchi Tribe.
They became a non-federally recognized tribe, not only losing fishing and hunting rights, but were removed from their homelands to an environment that is far from their original home and way of life. Many tribal members were forced to move to the Colville Reservation or the Yakama Reservations. The 12 bands compose the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation: Chelan, Chief Joseph Band of Nez Perce, Colville, Entiat, Lakes, Methow, Moses-Columbia, Nespelem, Okanogan, Palus, San Poil and Wenatchi.
The Wenatchi have fought for over 150 years to regain land, and have been met with nothing but continued roadblocks. From my research, I have found that several attempts to regain a minuscule part of territory along the Icicle River were met with empathy and support with the only stipulation to explain, in a very colonial way, in great detail what the land would be used for. In 1998 the Wenatchi Advisory Board was formed by Wenatchi Tribal members. One of the main objectives of forming the board was to obtain fishing rights again. Many years of sweat, tears, planning and connecting with local historians took place to create a detailed timeline dating back prior to the 1855 treaties. Finally in 2010, the Wenatchi Tribe regained their fishing rights along the river on their original homelands. This monumental victory was made a reality by all of the tribal members that continued to advocate for our rights.
Inspired Designs
In the effort to continue to share our history, the majority of Wenatchi Wear designs are inspired by P’Squosa legends. We start out hand-sketching each design, and utilize our graphic design skills to create digital art. The stories of our designs can be found on our website, social media and on an informational card included with every purchase. There is so much local history that has not made it into school history books, but is very important to understand. From the original way of life where the P’Squosa were living off the land to the lost languages, stories, tales and repeated genocidal events that took place; these are lessons that should never be forgotten.
Wenatchi Wear will continue to be resilient and design modern art while sharing Indigenous history with our main goal always in sight: Obtain land back for my people. This will come through fundraising efforts, and/or a generous landowner willing to donate directly to the tribe. If you or someone you know is willing to donate land, contact me and I will be more than happy to get this long awaited, grateful journey moving forward. Once a piece of the homeland is obtained, my vision is to build a community center with a trading post. I know that I am continued to be guided by my ancestors.
I ask you all to continue to purchase authentic Indigenous art. Support inspired Native companies, not Native inspired.
I am Wenatchi and I am still here.
Hello, Mary. I’ve been interested in Wenatchi history for a long time, and have written about it in a few issues of the Wenatchee Valley Museum’s Confluence magazine. Randy Lewis is a friend who has shared information with me about his family and people – and I know he’s a friend of yours too. As an elderly Caucasian, I feel guilty and sad about the many injustices the U.S. government has inflicted upon the Wenatchi and other native peoples over the centuries. May justice prevail, including a homeland for your tribe! Seems like US Fish & Wildlife land outside Leavenworth (fish hatchery) would be a fitting place for Wenatchi ownership. Thanks for sharing in this newsletter, and I hope your Wenatchi Wear line thrives.
Thank you for your continued alliance and work towards sharing the Wenatchi Tribe history.
Mary, this is Barbara Nanamkin, I really enjoyed this writing, and wanted to let you know I used it in our homeschool for our boys who are also Wenatchi band thanks for all your hard work.
Barbara, thank you for taking the time to read and share. I appreciate all that you have taught me!
This was super enlightening. Thank you for writing this. I am hoping to find my resources like your.
Hi Mary!
I ran across this article while browsing on Wenatchi history. It is well written and moving. You know I am a big supporter of you and your movement. I may share this story on other FB groups and Twitter. You are to be commended.
Thank you for this incredible explanation, Mary! I was born in Leavenworth and had great-great grandparents homestead in Waterville and Plain. I was never told this story when growing up here, and only recently realized the injustices done to the native peoples of our land when beginning to volunteer at the Greater Leavenworth Museum. We proudly just opened Julie Edward’s Story Basket exhibit, and now move into a new phase at the museum over (roughly) the next two years to tell the story of the p’squosa, their part of the history of our valley, and where they are now. Thank you for continuing to move the gauge forward in telling the *whole* story!
[…] in February, we discovered Wenatchi Wear. According to their website, each design has a unique story about geographical areas, local […]
Mary,
I am teaching WA State history and am struggle to make sure that the information I am giving my students is correct. The curriculum states that the Wenatchi are part of the Coleville Confederated tribes and that Pisquose and Wenatshapam are part of Yakama. Is that correct? In the past I have shown “False Promises” to my students but am unable to this year. In that video, Wenachi members speak of Wenatshapam as the fisheries, not a tribe. Could you help me understand this so my students are given the correct information?
Thank you so much,
Liz Fowler
former Cub Scout Day Camp Director
7th & 8th Grade History Teacher
Mary,
In researching my own family history, I came across your wonderful piece. It was very moving and emotional. My great-great-grandmother was a member of the P’Squosa and married one of the first white settlers in the Malaga area. My wife and I are transitioning back to Wenatchee after many years away and I’ve driven past your store many times without an understanding of what Wenatchi Wear is and means. Now that I know, I’ll be sure to come in the next time we’re there.
My best wishes for your continued success.
[…] One of my new favorite places to hike is the Wenatchee Foothills in Wenatchee, Washington. Hours of trail and old jeep roads ramble on the slopes outside of town and make for great exercise all year round. Spring is the most popular time as the green hills are punctuated with intense yellow and purple of Arrow-leaf balsamroot and Sulphur Lupine. Saddle Rock is just one of the many summits you can aspire to while meandering this network of trails maintained by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust. This system exists on ancestral P’Squosa land of the Wenatchi people. […]