Death Stalks the Yakama: Epidemiological Transitions and Mortality on the Yakama Indian Reservation, 1888-1964

PART TWO THE YAKAMA

PART TWO THEYAKAMA From Lake Keeschelus in the Cascade Mountains of west central Washington state flows a magnificent river. It snakes its way southeasterly through evergreen forests and into an open, rolling valley. The river cuts across a portion of the Great Columbia Plateau and receives the water of dozens of tributaries such as the Naches, Ahtanum, Toppenish, Satus, and Selah. After a lengthy journey through high ridges, rolling hills, and dark canyons, the river flows into the Columbia River. Since the beginning of time, the Yakima River has been the home of hundreds of Native Americans who share the name of the river and the country.1 Yakama people lived in this region of the present state of Washington long before the arrival of whites. They lived in a traditional fashion that tied them to the plants and animals, the mountains and the rivers. As one observer has stated: "Their land was their religion, and their religion was the land."2 The relationship of the Yakama to the earth, animals, and plants was far more than economic. It was a spiritual relationship that originated at the beginning of time.3 This axiom is at the heart of Yakama tradition, culture, and history, and without an appreciation of the significance of the earth and spiritual 23 24 Death Stalks The Yakama beliefs, there is little understanding of any aspect of Yakama history. This is certainly true of the Yakama beliefs about death, dying, spirits, souls, afterlife, mourning, ceremonials, burials, and memorials. Various aspects of native religion changed with white contact, particularly the form of the traditional faith. However, the basic beliefs of Plateau Indian religion, particularly their relationship with the earth, plants, and animals-the animate and inanimate elements of the spirit world-have remained unchanged through time. When the earth was young, Spilyay (Coyote), the plant people , and the animal people put the world into motion. The ancient stories of the Yakama and other Indians of the Great Columbia Plateau describe earth in transition, a time before humans when the plants and animals made ready for the arrival of humans. According to Andrew George, a Palouse holy man who once lived on the Yakama Reservation, "at the creation, Coyote was present, the symbol of power-teacher of balance, the creator of confusion." Coyote was both creator and destroyer . Indeed, in one ancient story of the Yakama, Coyote outwitted the Five Tah-Tah Kleah monsters at the mouth of the Columbia River, destroying a dam created by the monsters and leading the salmon upstream to various tribes of the Inland Northwest.4 Coyote also helped bring fire to earth by shooting arrows skyward onto a star, creating a ladder used by Beaver to steal fire from living beings from another world.5 Through his positive actions, Coyote taught the people, and through his negative actions, he did so as well. In fact, his actions were often destructive and confusing, reflecting life itself. Thus, Coyote is a main figure in Yakama spiritual beliefs since he teaches through both his creative and destructive actions. Coyote was also responsible for losing immortality.6 According to Yakama tradition, the "law" was established at the time of creation that there would be life and death on earth. At first, Coyote agreed with the law but after several of his family members and friends died, Coyote wanted no more death. So Coyote asked the Creator who lived in the Sky Above to release the people and let them come back to life on earth. Coyote traveled across five great mountains to the west until he reached the Creator and made his plea. The Creator took pity on Coyote and placed the souls of Coyote's family and friends in a deerskin medicine bundle. Creator instructed The Yakama 25 Coyote not to open the bundle until he had returned to earth, passing through the five mountains. However, before reaching the fifth mountain, Coyote heard all his friends and relatives singing, laughing, and dancing inside the medicine bundle. Coyote could not control his eager anticipation to visit his relatives again, so he opened the bundle before crossing the fifth mountain. The souls of his loved ones flew back to the Creator, and forevermore, Coyote lost immortality for the people. From then on, there would be death.7 The theme of death is found in other stories because the Yakama realized the fragile relationship between the living...