Jerry Kanim was a chief of the
Snoqualmie people
The Snoqualmie people (Lushootseed: ''sdukʷalbixʷ'') are a southern Coast Salish indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Their homelands span the Snoqualmie Valley in east King and Snohomish counties in Washington state.
Today, the ...
from 1914 until his death in 1956.
Chief Jerry Kanim was the most influential and most recognized political figure of the Snoqualmie in the 20th century. Kanim was appointed chief of his people in 1914 and was not replaced as chief until Earnest Barr was chosen 30 years after his death in 1956.
Kanim was active in pursuing land claims and fishing rights as well as financial and real estate compensation on behalf of the Snoqualmie. He also was an advocate of information about the history and traditions of his people, frequently providing replicas of folkloric artifacts for
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
s. Chief Jerry Kanim was the nephew of Chief
Patkanim
Chief Patkanim (variously spelled Pat-ka-nam or Pat Kanim; possibly from Southern Lushootseed: p̓əƛ̓qidəb) was chief of the Snoqualmoo (Snoqualmie (tribe), Snoqualmie) and Snohomish (tribe), Snohomish tribe in what is now modern Washington (st ...
, one of the signers of the
Treaty of Point Elliott
The Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855, or the Point Elliott Treaty,—also known as Treaty of Point Elliot (with one ''t'') / Point Elliott Treaty—is the lands settlement treaty between the United States government and the Native American tribes ...
.
Snoqualmie Tribe looks to the future
2 Oct 2008, Snoqualmie Valley Record. Accessed 16 June 2021 He lived with the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe of Washington
Sauk-Suiattle ( lut, saʔqʷəbixʷ-suyaƛ̕ʔbixʷ), or ''Sah-Ku-Me-Hu,'' is a federally recognized Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. The tribe historically lived along the banks of the Sauk, Suiattle, Cas ...
near the city of Darrington.
Legacy
Chief Kanim public middle school in Fall City, Washington is named after Chief Jerry Kanim. Kanim Falls
Kanim Falls () is the major waterfall on the North Fork of the Snoqualmie River. It is located at the outlet of Lake Kanim and is near the source of the North Fork of the Snoqualmie River. The falls were named after Chief Jerry Kanim who was th ...
and Lake Kanim
Lake Kanim is a set of small freshwater lakes located on a clif of the south skirt of Lennox Mountain, in King County, Washington. Lake Kanim is the nascent source of the North Fork of the Snoqualmie River. The lake and its accompanying waterfall ...
in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a large National Wilderness Preservation System, wilderness area spanning the Central Cascades of Washington (state), Washington state in the United States. The wilderness is located in parts of Wenatchee National F ...
are also named after him.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanim, Jerry
1869 births
1956 deaths
Native American leaders
19th-century Native Americans