Learning Resources

Learn More About the Puyallup Tribe of Indians

Puyallup Canoe Family paddling

Puyallup Canoe Family during Paddle to Puyallup 2018 by Jennifer Squally.

spuyaləpabš: syəcəb ʔə tiiɫ ʔiišədčəɫ
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians: The Story of Our People

These resources are a great starting point for people who want to learn more about the Puyallup Tribe’s culture, history and Lushootseed language.

This webpage is a centralized location for educational material on the Tribe. None of these require you to be a speaker of our language or an expert on history and culture. These links provide an overview of our history and give you an opportunity to expose yourself and those around you to our Tribe so you can have a deeper respect for our people.

Along with the resources below, make sure to check out the downloadable PDFs with in depth resources, reading lists, and downloadable artwork.

Old black and white photo of Washington territory views

Courtesy of Puyallup Tribe Historic Preservation

Where to Start: General Puyallup Resources

The Puyallup Tribe’s Culture, Language, and Historic Preservation Departments created a number of resources to uplift the history, language, and culture of our people. These resources can be used to familiarize yourself and your family with the Puyallup Tribe.

A Brief History of the Puyallup Tribe: This video was put together by the Puyallup Tribe Historic Preservation Department to give a general overview of the Puyallup Tribe’s history.

Land Acknowledgement: Because of the high volume of request we receive for land acknowledgements, we created an information page on our site that includes suggestions for drafting acknowledgements, as well as multiple versions the public can use, in addition to Lushootseed versions.

The Cushman Project: Boarding Schools and Indian Hospital on the Puyallup Reservation: These resources and videos were  put together by Language Program Director, Amber Hayward to shed light on the research she did while working in the Puyallup Tribe Historic Preservation Department. These materials have been put together very intentionally to share firsthand accounts and factual information on the boarding schools and Indian hospital on the Puyallup Reservation.

About Lushootseed/Twulshootseed: This information is to assist folks wanting to learn more about the ancestral language of the Puyallup people – Lushootseed/Twulshootseed. Download the Lushootseed quiz here. For more downloads, see additional resources below.

About Lushootseed/Twulshootseed – Short Videos: These short videos include topics such as alphabet, grammar, writing system, language family, linguistics and language revitalization tools.

The Native Names for Mt. Rainier: təqʷuʔmaʔ, təqʷuʔbəd, təqʷuʔbəʔ, taqʷuʔma, təqubəd, təqʷubəʔ, t(xʷ)xʷaq’ʷ – these are just SOME of the names that our ancestors used to reference our beloved mountain. There was not just one name used when we spoke of the mother who nourished our people since the beginning of time. KCTS9 did an outstanding job of listening to Nisqually and Puyallup Tribes about the importance of our ancestral names.

Old black and white photo of Puyallup Tribe sitting on beach with canoes

Courtesy of Puyallup Tribe Historic Preservation

Additional Resources

For a more exhaustive list of resources on the Puyallup Tribe’s history, language, and culture, download our Puyallup Heritage Resources PDF.

What’s included?

  1. Websites and social media for the Puyallup Tribe, Language Program, Culture Program, and Historic Preservation Department
  2. General Puyallup Resources
  3. Puyallup History Resources
  4. Lushootseed Resources
  5. Culture & Canoe Journey Resources
  6. Puyallup Tribe Current Events
  7. Sample ideas to increase awareness of the Puyallup Tribe

Suggested Books and Reading List

The Tribe and its partners compiled a list of suggested books and readings that are about Native Americans and local tribal communities, or by Native American authors. Not every book about Native peoples is culturally sensitive. These books have been vetted and approved by Tribal employees or our partners. Have a book suggestion? Let us know! Suggested Books and Reading List.

What’s included?        

  1. Online Indian Reading Series
  2. Native Author Book List
  3. Elementary Picture Books
  4. Elementary Chapter Books
  5. Secondary Books
  6. Eaglecrest Books Literacy Book Series
  7. Highline Public School Online Native Resources
group of Puyallup Tribe members gathering in an open circle to sing

Puyallup Language Program during Paddle to Puyallup 2018 by Jennifer Squally.

Visibility Resources

Twulshootseed Yard Sign Project: The Puyallup Tribal Language Program teamed up with local Tribal artists to create Twulshootseed yard signs for our community to assist in revitalizing our ancestral language. This visibility helps to create a healthy space for our language to grow and inspire our community to learn more. This link provides an overview of the project and posters that include the audio pronunciations.

The Puyallup Tribal Language Program has provided Lushootseed posters that are appropriate to print out and post in your home, school or workspace. Puyallup Tribal Member, Daniel Baptista and Salish Artist, Paige Pettibon have provided artwork and coloring pages for the community to use.

Please note: These images are not to be tampered with, sold, to be used outside of scope of the original intentions or reproduced in any way. Always uplift Native artists by citing their work and offering financial support when possible. Interested in using Native art in your home or work? Avoid cultural appropriation by working directly with Native artists! Please see some of the Puyallup Tribal Community artist at Puyallup Community Artists.

What’s included?

  1. Lushootseed posters that highlight the Puyallup Tribal community, Lushootseed greetings, and virtues: PDF Lushootseed Posters
  2. Lushootseed classroom subject posters to use in a classroom setting: PDF Lushootseed Classroom Subject Posters
  3. Posters and coloring pages by Daniel Baptista: PDF Daniel Baptista Artwork
  4. Posters and coloring pages by Paige Pettibon: PDF Paige Pettibon Artwork