Muckleshoot Indians. From the native word o’kelcul, significance unknown.
Muckleshoot Connections. The Muckleshoot belonged to the Nisqually dialectic group of the coastal division of the Salishan linguistic family.
Muckleshoot Location. On White River, their territory extending from Kent eastward to the mountains, but it seems also to have included Green River.
Muckleshoot Subdivisions. The following names appear applied to bands in their territory:
- Sekamish, on White River.
- Skopamish, on upper Green River.
- Smulkamish, on upper White River
- Smith (1940) adds Dothliuk, at South Prairie below where Cole Creek enters South Prairie Creek, an affluent of Carbon River.
Muckleshoot Population. The Muckleshoot are probably included in the 1,200 “Nisqually, Puyallup, etc.” estimated by Mooney (1928) as in existence in 1780. The Skopamish numbered 222 in 1863 and the Smulkamish about 183 in 1870. Mooney estimated a total of 780 in 1907 for the group above given. In 1937 the United States Office of Indian Affairs reported 194 Indians of this tribe.
Connection in which the Muckleshoot Indians have become noted. The name of the Muckleshoot is preserved in that of Muckleshoot Indian Reservation.