Native American Nations of the United States West Coast

The earliest Native Americans in this country likely split from the First Nations peoples that spread out across Canada from British Columbiaand the Arctic. They migrated southward initially to what became the states of Washington, Oregon, and California.

Of these three states, California is home to the largest number of Native American nations and bands (hunting groups) along the Pacific Coast of the US.

The indigenous peoples of Washington and Oregon demonstrate more resemblance to the First Nations members that reside in the Canadian Pacific Northwest than to the nations living in California. The California groups have taken on a different type and flavor of culture and tradition.

Washington Nations and Bands

• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
• Cowlitz Tribe
• Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Council
• Makah Tribal Council
• Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Council
• Suquamish Tribal Council
• Chehalis Community Council PO Box 536, Oakville, 98568
• Chinook Tribe
• Colville Business Council PO Box 150, Nespelem, 99155
• Duwamish Tribal Office 140 Rainier Ave S, Ste 7, Renton, 98005
• Hoh Tribe 2464 Lower Hoh Rd, Forks, 98331
• Kalispel Business Committee 1981 LeClerc Rd N, PO Box 39, Usk, 99180
• Lower Elwha Community Council 2851 Lower Elwha Rd, Port Angeles, 98363
• Lummi Business Council 2616 Kwina Rd, Bellingham, 98226-9298
• Muckleshoot Tribal Council 39015 172nd St SE, Auburn, 98002
• Nisqually Indian Community Council 4820 She-Nah-Num Dr SE, Olympia, 98503
• Nooksack Tribal Council PO Box 157, Deming, 98244
• Port Gamble S'Klallam Community Council 31912 Little Boston Rd NE, Kingston, 98346
• Puyallup Tribal Council 2002 E 28th St, Tacoma, 98404
• Quileute Tribal Council\ PO Box 279, LaPush, 98350
• Quinault Business Committee PO Box 189, Taholah, 98587
• Samish Tribal Council 803 31st Ave, PO Box 217, Anacortes, 98221
• Shoalwater Bay Tribal Council PO Box 130, Tokeland, 98590
• Skokomish Tribal Council N 80 Tribal Center Rd, Shelton, 98584
• Snohomish Tribal Office 18933 59th Ave N, Rm 115, Arlington, 98223
• Snoqualmie Tribal Office 3946 Tolt Ave, PO Box 280, Carnation, 98104
• Squaxin Island Tribal Council SE 70 Squaxin Ln, Shelton, 98584
• Steilacoom Tribe 1515 Lafayette St, PO Box 88419, Steilacoom, 98388
• Stillaguamish Board of Directors 2439 Stoluckquamish Ln, Arlington, 98223
• Swinomish Indian Senate PO Box 817, LaConner, 98257
• Tulalip Board of Directors 6700 Totem Beach Rd, Marysville, 98271
• Upper Skagit Tribal Council 2284 Community Plaza, Sedro Woolley, 98284
• Yakima Tribal Council PO Box 151, Toppenish, 98948

The Washington Coast Salish groups specifically may resemble the First Nations Salish and other western First Nations more closely than they do other groups of US Pacific Northwest nations or bands. They state in part on SalishSeaConference.com:

The Coast Salish people are the owners of the Salish Sea. Our ancestors have passed down the traditional teachings of songs, dances, and spiritual ceremonies that depict our identity and strengths of our peoples. Our sacred trust has been given to us from our ancestors and defines our role as protectors of our Mother Earth. We are entrusted with the protection and sustainability of environment and natural resources of our ancestral lands and waters of the Salish Sea.

Oregon Nations and Bands

• Burns Paiute Tribe
• Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes
• Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians
• Confederated Tribe of the Grand Ronde
• Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Nations)
• Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation (Warm Springs, Wasco & Paiute)
• Coquille Indian Tribe
• Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians
• Klamath General Council (Klamath, Modoc & Yahooskin)

The State of California is home to at least 107 different US Federally recognized Native American Nations and 95 Federal Indian Reservations. In the 2010s, the state is also home to least 40 additional Native American groups that seeking Federal Recognition in California.

California as a state has been prominent among its universities an dcolleges in studying the culture and histories of its Indigenous Peoples and encouraging preservation of languages and ways of life. Many related programs are located in Southern California. However, the Wintu Nation in Northern California is more directly linked to expereinces in light of the California Gold Rush around Sacramento. Many of their customs are illustrated in installations at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California.