Description
The Makah are an Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast living in Washington, in the northwestern part of the continental United States. They are enrolled in the federally recognized Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, commonly known as the Makah Tribe. The Makah people refer to themselves as "the people who live by the rocks and seagulls" Archaeological research suggests that Makah people have inhabited the area now known as Neah Bay for more than 3,800 years. Traditionally, the Makah lived in villages consisting of large longhouses made from western red cedar. The Makah, both past and present, have demonstrated their ability to adapt, survive and flourish. Until historic times, the tribe was composed of five principal winter villages. The prehistoric population of the Makah is estimated between approximately 2,000 to 4,000 people.
Language
The Makah language is the ancestral tongue of the Makah Indian Nation
Culture
Makah acquired much of their food from the ocean. Their diet consisted of whale, seal, fish, and a wide variety of shellfish. They would also hunt deer, elk, and bear from the surrounding forests. Women also gathered a wide variety of nuts, berries and edible plants and roots for their foods. The Makah traditional family consisted of parents and children living in a particular area.[10] Members of Makah families were ranked in society according to their relationship to the chief of the tribe. There were no stratifications in gender roles; all genders were equal, participating in the hunting of whales and other livestock. Although men were more fishermen and hunters, women's activities centered on gathering resources for the family.