Yakima Indians


The Yakima Indians (now spelled Yakama) were hunter-gatherers in central Washington who subsisted on seasonal plants, hunting, and fishing.

Because of the varied climate, the tribe lived in teepees or mat houses during the summer months and pit houses dug into the ground during the winter months.

Their main forms of transportation were dugout canoes and horses. When the Yakima began to encounter settlers, they resisted giving up their land. They went to war against the U.S. in 1855 when the government tried to place the tribe onto a reservation.

The Yakima battled until 1858, when they could no longer ward off the settler encroachment into their territories. They were forced to surrender and moved onto a reservation.