Tribes push treaty rights

Patkanam, Chief of the Snoqualmoo and Snohomish. Goliah, Chief of the Skagits. Whailanhu, or Davy Crockett, sub-chief of the Lummi.

The list rolls on, 82 Indians who drew an X by their names on a treaty granting them peace, prosperity, their way of life.

The Treaty of Point Elliott, signed in 1855, promised them their future.

One of the state’s most important documents, its 15 articles are still disputed.

The Indians have scuhddxw – salmon – and xpy’uhc – cedar. They have independence. Now, they want to own the DNA of all that was around them, and to become ultimate stewards of that land.

Patkanam’s descendents, the Tulalip Tribes, are trying to claim much of what they believe was lost 151 years ago.

They draw power from the Treaty of Point Elliott.