Squaxin Island Tribe

The Squaxin Island Tribe is a Native American tribal government in western Washington state in the United States. The Squaxin Island Tribe is made up of several Lushootseed clans living along several inlets of southern Puget Sound: the Sahewamish of Hammersley Inlet watershed the Noo-Seh-Chatl / Noosehchatle of Henderson Inlet watershed the Steh-Chass / Statca'sabsh of Budd Inlet watershed the Squi-Aitl / Skwayaithlhabsh of Eld Inlet watershed or Mud Bay the T’Peeksin / Tapi'ksdabsh of Totten Inlet watershed the Squawksin of Case Inlet watershed, and the S’Hotle-Ma-Mish of Carr Inlet watershed. Because of their strong cultural connection with the water, they are also known as the People of the Water. The modern tribe is named after the Squawksin of Case Inlet—meaning "in between" or "piece of land to cross over to another bay" in the Lushootseed language; the name was changed to Squaxin Island.