Treaty Of Point Elliott Gathering Promotes Reconciliation
"There are not enough words to say that you're sorry"
"We're hoping that this is a day of healing"
"We must heal with friendship because we are all Americans. It is important that we work together as a people"
These sentiments were heard among those gathered in Seattle recently to mark the signing of the Treaty of Point Elliott 155 years ago, wherein numerous Native American Tribes ceded land to the federal government in exchange for reservations and fishing rights.
The event was held in the same location as the original treaty signing, and the more than 200 people who gathered included a fourth-generation descendant of Chief Sealth. During the ceremony, representatives from eight Tribes performed songs and chants and dressed in period clothing. The treaty deprived generations of Native Americans of their historic rights and assets, many attendees said. "Treaties are supposed to be the law of the land, but we owned all the land before this," said emcee Larry Campbell, a historian for the Swinomish Tribe.
Nevertheless, the attendees at the ceremony offered peace. The Rev. James Kearny, a descendant of Thomas Phelps, the commodore of the ship who enforced the treaty against Native Americans, came to offer his apologies. "When you do any reconciliation, you expect anger," Kearny said. "But we are dealing with this directly, saying, 'Teach me. Let's start again.' "
