Indigenous People of Chelan Valley
- Marley Rosen
- Jun 3, 2024
- 2 min read
By E.T 👽
In downtown Manson there is a tree shaped plaque dedicated to the indigenous people and other people who helped shape Manson into what it is now. It is displayed on the side of the Trout Building in downtown Manson. The trunk displays a dedication plaque honoring the native people and early settlers of the community. The names of people who’ve shaped Manson’s past and are paving its future are displayed on stainless steel leaves. “It’s a stunning work of art where the symbolism of the tree trunk really gives tribute to those who were the seeds of our roots and on whose shoulders we stand today. The shining leaves symbolize the fruit that is born of hard work and dedication.”
The Chelan tribe is a part of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which is a federally recognized tribe made up of over 9000 descendents from 12 indigenous tribes. There is not much ethnographic information (cultural habits and customs) for the Chelan people specifically, but there is significantly more for the Wenatchi people. The database I looked at uses the information known about the Wenatchi people to infer when life was like for the Chelan people because of the proximity of the tribes. That being said, not all the information will be accurate, because even though they are geographically similar, differences within the tribes such as leaders, language, and contacts with varying tribes would have impacted their ways of life culturally, leading to greater differences. Slight environmental differences occurred as well because the Chelan people relied on the lake and surrounding mountains while theWenatchi people relied on lakes and less so the mountains. There is a LOT of information on the lifestyle of the Chelan and Wenatchi people, so if you would like to learn more, visit http://www.npshistory.com/publications/noca/ethnography/chelan.htm !!
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