In the year 1855, a large war broke out between the whites and the Indians, while the Cowlitz continued to stay clear of all battles and wrath of the European settlers. That was, however, until the settlers came to Cowlitz chief Atwin Stockam, asking for a deal. Since many tribes surrounding the Cowlitz, like the Yakimas and Klikitats, began to grow a militia to fight against the Europeans, the settlers began to worry that these tribes would gain more of an army by including the Cowlitz in their battle. The settlers promised the tribe more land to add to their reservation if they agreed to remain peaceful during this time of militant warfare. Chief Atwin agreed to this deal. Therefore, for the remainder of the Puget Sound War, many Cowlitz members were sent to detention camps where they were to be held under a watchful eye until the war was over.
In these “local reservations” along the Chehalis River, where hundreds of Cowlitz members were held for almost two years, living conditions were very poor. The Cowlitz, as well as a mix of other coastal tribes, were crowded together in very tight quarters and were not given adequate food or water. While held captive in these detention camps, tribe members were stripped of their personal property and left with virtually nothing. As the war went on, however, the Cowlitz stood behind Chief Atwin and trusted that this treatment was only temporary and they would be rewarded for their peaceful actions by receiving an extension of reservation land as soon as the war came to an end.
After the war was over, the Cowlitz began to return home. Upon reaching their reservation, they had a startling discovery; all of their possessions at home had been destroyed by the settlers. The story goes that at the war’s end, most settlers had assumed that all rights were taken away from all natives as a result of the war. The Cowlitz were left with nothing and were treated the same as the tribes who had fought in the war, even though they kept their promise to remain peaceful throughout.
As time went on, The Cowlitz did the best they could to continue life as they knew it before the war had begun. Not being satisfied with the seemingly undamaged tribe, Europeans began to encroach upon the Cowlitz ways of life. They pressured the Cowlitz people to change tribe rituals such as flattening their heads, relying on medicine men, to forego speaking their own variation of the Sahalish language, and many more. This did not seem to phase the Cowlitz, and they continued to not be bothered by the settlers presence. The Cowlitz, at this time in history, were known for sticking to their original way of life as best they could and managing to avoid the settler’s encroachment as long as possible. However, this success later did more damage than good to the tribe. The United States government later used this very success as the reason why they would not be compensated for land that was to be taken away from them, as well as denying the tribe recognition.
The criminalization of the Cowlitz had nothing to do with the tribe’s actions. They were never a forceful group toward the European settlers. The very loyalty and peacefulness of the tribe is exactly what was used against them by the settlers to criminalize them and take away their land and rights.
Sources:
Indians of North America 