"Kamiakin Country is the story of Yakama Chief Kamiakin. Kamiakin was a highly-respected Native American leader. He led the tribes of the Pacific Northwest in an attempt stem the flow of Euro Americans into that region in the mid 19th century by peaceful means and by force of arms. Writer Jo N. Miles takes a close look at the events during that period and the leaders on both sides in the conflict"--Provided by publisher.

The conflicts occurring in the Washington Territory in the 1850s provide an interesting case study of the Native American "Indian Wars." It is an excellent story, not only of the conflict itself, but also the interplay between the natives, early settlers, missionaries, and army personalities involved. There is a wealth of contemporary documentation available, but modern histories often center on only certain aspects of those conflicts. Many of the tribes on the Washington coast and in the interior had strong ties with one another and the events of the Washington Territory Indian wars in the Puget Sound area and the Inland Empire area are tied to one another. This is not often been brought together in a single work. This is short history of those conflicts, along with an extensive bibliography of references of both contemporary works and original source material. Most of the sites where the major events that occurred during this conflict are marked today, and a guide to those sites is included.

"Born to T'siyiyak, a champion horse racer, and Com-mus-ni, the daughter of legendary Chief Wlyawllkt, Kamiakin from an early age helped tend his family's expanding herds. He wintered with relatives in tule mat lodges in the Kittitas and Ahtanum valleys. During other times of the year he shared in communal springtime root gathering, summertime salmon fishing, and autumn berry-picking and hunting." "Kamiakin adhered to ancestral tradition. Alone as an adolescent on Mount Rainier's icy heights, he dreamt of the Buffalo's power, completing his quest for a guardian spirit. Muscular and sinewy, he became a skilled equestrian and competitor in feats of agility. He married and established a camp on Ahtanum Creek, raising potatoes, squash, pumpkins, and corn in irrigated gardens." "As Kamiakin matured, he rose in prominence among the Yakamas; leaders of both Sahaptin and Salish bands sought his counsel. Through personal aptitude as well as family bonds, he emerged as one of the Plateau region's most influential chiefs. He cautiously welcomed White newcomers and sought to learn beneficial aspects of their culture. His dignified manner impressed the Whites he knew - traders, missionaries, and soldiers." "In the 1840s, the arrival of unprecedented numbers of Oregon Trail immigrants stirred a cataclysmic upheaval threatening his people's retention of lands and their ancient customs. On May 29, 1855, the Walla Walla Treaty Council commenced with a gathering of government officials and Plateau headmen, while some 5,000 Indians camped nearby. Two weeks later, Kamiakin signed the Yakima Treaty of 1855 with great reluctance; he also resolved to resist threats to his people's freedom and transgressions on their lifeways. Finding Chief Kamiakin is his saga."--BOOK JACKET.

This is a new release of the original 1938 edition.

Ka-Mi-Akin, The Last Hero of the Yakimas by Andrew Splawn Jackson, first published in 1917, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it.