The Story
"Our Wenatchi Reservation was taken from us in 1894. Our hunting and fishing rights were also taken at that time, against our wishes. Many of our tribesmen are scattered in various parts of Washington (State) where the land is poor…., We, the Wenatchi Indians, wish to have our fishing and hunting rights restored to us in the Wenatchee Valley and forests, State of Washington." (Chief John Harmelt, 1933)

The Wenatchi tribe lived and fished for generations in what is now Washington State, at the confluence of the Wenatchee River and Icicle Creek, in an area called the Wenatchapam Fishery. In 1855, the Wenatchi were offered a reservation under the terms of the Yakama Treaty. The United States has failed to honor the treaty and today, the Wenatchi tribe continues to press the United States Government to honor its agreements.

"I've been working in Indian affairs for over thirty years and…I don't know of any other case where a tribe was promised fishing rights in a ratified treaty and also again in a ratified agreement, and yet still does not have those rights honored." E. Richard Hart, Historian

Why is it important that the United States keep its treaty with the Wenatchi people ?

A treaty is the supreme law of the United States, the most fundamental agreement that the United States can enter into. It is critical to all of us that the United States honor the treaties and agreements it makes. A broken promise to one citizen - or a group of citizens - is a broken promise to all.

In recent years, a Wenatchi Indian Advisory Board has been formed to pursue the tribe's long-standing claims to the Wenatchapam Fishery. The tribe has hired research experts to gather evidence of fraudulent acts on the part of the United States, and the tribe is planning to take their case to Congress.