The Lummi are Lhaq’Temish, Survivors of the Flood

Long before Europeans landed, the Lummi people, located throughout the northern corner of Washington State and lower B. C., followed the salmon across the Salish Sea.  Each season brought with it new bounty and sustenance for their people, from the salmon and shellfish to berries and game.  The Lummi Nation still lives and thrives in Whatcom County and is an active player in the local economy.

Time has brought many changes to the Nation, with demands of the modern world now shaping their lives.  Whiles some resources have changed, they have successfully continued to take advantage of the opportunities that improve the lives of their people, strengthening their economy and contributing to the health of natural resources used by all local residents.

Lummi People: A Self-governing Nation

For thousands of years, the Lummi were an independent and self-governing people. In 1855, the Lummi Nation and the United States formally recognized each other and signed the Treaty of Point Elliott.  For nearly a century the daily governance of the Lummi Nation was not under the authority of the people, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  That changed in 1988 when the Lummi Nation became one of eight tribes to enter into self-governance compacts.

As the third largest tribe in Washington State, they govern more than 5,000 members and manage nearly 13,000 acres of tidelands on the Lummi Reservation.  The Lummi manage their own government functions, including cultural preservation, economic development, education, employment training, health care, law enforcement and judicial system, natural resources and public works.

Natural Resources: Restoration and Protection

The Lummi people have always practiced sustainable harvesting of salmon and shellfish along the shorelines of the Salish Sea.  Today the Lummi Nation combines both modern science and traditional knowledge to protect and restore salmon runs for future generations.

Responding to declining salmon populations, the Lummi Nation created the Lummi Salmon Enhancement Program.  Through the Lummi Natural Resources Department they enhance, manage and protect fisheries, forestry, hunting, hatchery, shellfish, sea-ponds, and water resources.  The Nation launched the first shellfish hatchery of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and built local salmon hatcheries.

Economic Development: Building partnerships, creating jobs

The Lummi people have survived and prospered through adaptation and innovation. The reef net is one of the greatest symbols of their innovation: a fishing net, woven from nettles, that mimics a reef and attracts fish.  For millennia, the reef net was the key to their way of life, harnessing the bounty of the Salish Sea, creating prosperity for their people, and allowing them to build a strong trade economy with other nations.  Today, their prosperity comes not only from the sea but also from new enterprises and partnerships.

In 2001, the Lummi Nation established the wholly owned Lummi Commercial Company to manage its consumer goods and services businesses.  Today, LCC is the eighth largest employer in Whatcom County overseeing the operation of the Silver Reef Casino, Hotel and Spa, Convention Center and commercial businesses.

In 2012 the Lummi Development Holding Company was formed to manage government contracting, working toward a prosperous economic future for the Lummi community and incorporating respect for the culture, natural resources, economic, social, educational, physical, and environmental needs and values of the people.  Projects have created employment and a successful economic engine for both the tribe and Whatcom County residents.

Education: blending culture with academics

Lummi education includes teaching their children to responsibly and sustainably harvest natural resources, to take only what is needed and to share with others.  Weaving and canoe making are also important skills to learn as well as the stories, celebrations and customs passed down through the generations that make up the fabric of Lummi life.  Today their goal is to provide their children the skills they need to be successful in whatever path they choose to follow.

The Northwest Indian College is the only accredited tribal college in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, offering AA and Bachelor degrees and certifications in a dozen subjects.  Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities the College’s educational programs have been approved by the Veteran’s Administration, and the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board, for the administration of financial assistance for eligible students. Northwest Indian College is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), the American Association of Community Colleges, and the American Council on Education

The educational philosophy of Northwest Indian College is based upon the belief that the opportunity of post-secondary education must be provided within the Native American community. It is committed to the belief that self-awareness is the foundation necessary to achieve confidence, esteem, and a true sense of pride; build a career; create a “self-sufficient” life-style; and promote life-long learning. A self-awareness program must include a study of Native American culture, values and history.

Looking toward the future….

Just as the invention of the reef net allowed the Lummi to pull together, harnessing the bounty of the sea for the prosperity of all, the Lummi Nation continues to create new enterprises and partnerships to strengthen the regional economy for all of its residents.