On January 22, 1914, Indians from the region gather at the Tulalip Reservation to celebrate Treaty Day and the completion of a new longhouse. Festivities include songs, dances, games and storytelling, with a dinner at noon. John A. Juleen (1874-1935) of Everett is present to photograph the event.
Tulalip’s New Longhouse
Treaty Day celebrations took place in a new longhouse built by tribal members. Measuring 116 feet by 43 feet in size, the building featured story poles carved by William Shelton on the heavy beams lining the interior.
The program lasted all day, with the following events listed in an Everett Tribune article the next day.
9 a.m. Addresses by members of the Snohomish and Swinomish tribes
10 a.m. Games and story telling, “Siah-hal, Siaha-halub,” etc. by leading chiefs
Noon Dinner at potlatch house
1:30 p.m. Songs of welcome, potlatch chief
War dance, “Of 60 Years Ago,” Snohomish Tribe
Song, “Chief Medicine Man,” Willapoint Tom
Song and dance, “My Skookum,” Sam Wyakes
Song, John English
Skagit tribal song, Mrs. Jake Suh-doh-litza
Songs and dances, Swinomish chiefs
War dances, “The Man Eater,” Jack Cladoosby
Songs and dances, Lummi Tribe
War dance, “Squak-taup,” Tulallip vs. Swinomish
8:30 p.m. Dance, everybody
Money for the event was raised through donations.
Using a glass-plate camera, Everett photographer John A. Juleen recorded images of the celebration. These negatives are now in the collection of the Everett Public Library. Newspaper accounts tell us that in the previous year, 1913, two motion picture operators recorded the Treaty Day celebration event. These movies have not been found.
