Makah

The Makah have the utmost respect for ceremony and are gracious hosts who honor invitations.  They are a generous people who measure their wealth by how much they give, not by how much they gain.  The name Makah, given by their S’Klallam neighbors to the east, refers to the generosity of their feasts. Makah Lands are situated on the Northwesternmost tip of what is now Washington State where lush forests meet the sea.  Neah Bay, formerly Deah, is their largest community.  The Makah, much like their Nuu-Chah-Nulth relatives to the North, are intrinsically tied to the sea.  They are marine mammal hunters as well as fishermen from the shallows of the bays to the deep ocean floors. Whaling is an important part of life for the Makah and speaks to the spirituality and fearlessness of the Makah when venturing out to the open ocean. To hear and witness the Makah's prowess out on the open ocean is to truly understand that the sea is also their country.  Makah art, ceremony, and traditions are very similar in style to their Nuu-Chah-Nulth relatives.