Spring Tea

The Greater Leavenworth Museum acknowledges that it sits on the ancestral homelands of the p’squosa (or Wenatchi) people since time immemorial. The p’squosa lived off this land with a deep understanding of the importance of stewardship and appreciation for this place. P’squosa, meaning “people in between'', had villages positioned along the Wenatchee River and surrounding areas. 

The p’squosa people are still here and continue to practice their culture, harvest their traditional foods and medicines and hold their ceremonies that have been passed down from their ancestors. They fish, hunt and gather roots, berries, medicines and basket making materials. The traditions of harvesting these sacred foods and medicines are practiced with the teachings to take only what you need and leave the area in better shape than when you arrived.

The p’squosa are named in the Yakima Treaty of 1855. Language to establish the Wenatchapam Fisheries Reservation was never followed through on, even with the required surveying completed. They were forced off their land and most now live on the Colville Reservation, 150 miles northeast of Leavenworth.

Their traditional language is nxaʔamxčǐn, (in-hum-cheen) an Interior Salish dialect, and we would like to welcome you all by saying hello in their language: t́iĺ x̌əšt (till-husht)

The Greater Leavenworth Museum shares this land acknowledgment with you to honor those that were here first and who continue to live here and take care of the land today. We stand as an ally to recognize their connection to the land and their rights to practice their culture on these sacred lands.

We encourage you to learn more about the p’squosa people. Let us all remember that it’s our responsibility to protect our lands and nature now and for the future generations that are yet to come.