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The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of Cowlitz people. They are a tribe of Southwestern Coast Salish indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest located in Washington. The tribe is named for the Cowlitz River.
Contents
Other Cowlitz people are enrolled in the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and Quinault Indian Nation.
Reservation
The Cowlitz Reservation was established in 2010. The 152-acre (62 ha) reservation is located near La Center, in Clark County, Washington.
Government
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is headquartered in Longview, Washington. The tribe is governed by a democratically elected board of tribal council members.
Salish is commonly spoken on by the tribe. The Cowlitz language belongs to the Tsamosan branch of Salish languages. A dictionary has been published for Cowlitz.
Economic development
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is planning to build the Cowlitz Casino Resort with ten restaurants and a hotel, located in La Center.
History
Cowlitz people actively traded with other tribes and later European Americans. 19th century treaties were not ratified by the United States or were unacceptable to the Cowlitz. In 1906 the tribe, under the leadership of Chief Atwin Stockum, began formal political relations with the United States. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe has had its constitutional elective tribal council system of government since 1950. Federal recognition was reaffirmed in 2000.