Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Indian Reservation
HistoryThe Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Indian Reservation come from the Yakama Treaty signed on June 8,1855. The Klickitats joined the Yakama Reservation because settlers wanted them out of Willamette valley of Oregon. The Klickitats make up many of the Yakama people. The Yakama people signed their treaty as a sovereign nation. Allotment of the reservation began in the 1890's and was completed in 1914. When finished 440,000 acres were allotted and 798,000 remained unallotted.
Government
The Yakama people didn't organize a government until 1935 because
of their dissatisfaction with the United States. Their council was
composed of fourteen members representing the fourteen people who
were signatories for the treaty. The state assumed jurisdiction over
Yakama Indians on tribal and allotted lands held in trust by the United
States under Washington State and federal law. The eight categories
of activity under jurisdiction are compulsory school attendance, public
assistance, domestic relations, mental illness, juvenile delinquency,
adoption proceedings, dependent children, and operation of motor vehicles
on public streets. After many claims the Yakama people in 1975 have
1,118,149.04 acres of tribal land. The people are trying to make businesses
to help their people. In 1983 15,000 acres were under cultivation
and timber is taken annually for business. There is a tribal furniture
manufacturing operation. Other enterprises are tribal heritage, agriculture
fishing and banking. Other tribal land also includes 2.7 million acres
of range for livestock.