Taquoma Rainier and Historic Significance
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge we gather upon the ancestral lands of the Muckleshoot, Puyallup, and Nisqually Tribes. These communities have lived on and stewarded the lands surrounding təqʷubəʔ (tah-ko-bah) since time immemorial and continue to do so today. We recognize that this land acknowledgment is one small step toward true ally ship and we commit to uplifting the voices, experiences, and histories of the Indigenous people of this land and beyond.
History of Taquoma
For the last century, the highest volcano looming over the PNW has been known widely as Mount Rainier. This name, coined by a European explorer, holds minimal significance to the rich history of the land and culture existing in this space since time immemorial. Although it has grown to hold meaning today, the aim of the history presented here is to educate about the local Native American history on and around Taquoma (Mount Rainier).
Taquoma , just one of the many names for the highest volcano in Washington state, means Mother of the Waters. Native American stories tell of a time when the mountain we know today as Tahoma lived in the Olympic mountain range. The range became too crowded, so Taquoma decided to move out and into less populated lands. She told her son- “Taquotma” Translation: Don’t forget the water. Her son brought the waters out East with them, which is why Taquoma- The Mother of Waters- serves as the headwaters for many rivers in the area.
Within the last century, archeological studies have found evidence of Native American tribe activity dating back thousands of years. Archeologists predict Native American communities lived in the plains surrounding Tahoma as early as 15,000 to 10,000 years ago. Since then, when glaciers began to melt, communities moved higher up the mountain as flora and fauna began to thrive within the area. More recent archeological studies have found remnants of tribe’s rock shelters and foraging materials such as food, tools, and fire pits dating back to 1,200 years. For more information on the archeological history of Tahoma visit the NPS Mount Rainier Website.
History of Western Washington Tribal Lands
Since time immemorial, native tribes of Washington have inhabited the land on and around Taquoma. The Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Yakama, and Coast Salish tribes are those that call parts of Taquoma home today. There are many different names for the mountain, Taquoma being one well known throughout the region. Tribes coexisted upon the land for centuries. Within the last 200 years, European colonizers arrived and began commandeering the land. In 1854 The Treaties of Point Elliott and Medicine Creek were instituted, allocating small plots of land for tribes to live upon and continue their traditional practices. Throughout the early 1900’s, tribes watched their ancestral lands quickly diminished even further – often left with just a few acres to call home. Settlers continued to seize their homelands. Throughout the early 2000’s, tribes such as the Muckleshoot and Puyallup began reclaiming their homelands, slowly buying back the land that had been sold to non-Indians throughout the early 1900’s. Today, indigenous climbers are reconnecting with Taquoma on both personal and collective levels. One of our climbers on a quest to reintroduce Native people to these spaces embraces Taquoma as a symbol of visibility for the indigenous stories and history of the mountain, and we will continue to support these efforts as best we can.
