Colville Tribes buy 184 acres of ancestral land near Pasco

NESPELEM – The Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) have taken another step in their long-term strategy to acquire homeland in Eastern and Central Washington with the purchase of 184 acres near Pasco in Franklin County.

The Pasco purchases was announced in a June 21 CCT media release when Business Council Chairman Randy Cawston revealed that the land will be used for cultural and economic development purposes.

“The Tri-Cities area is the traditional homeland of the Palus, one of the 12 tribes in the Colville Confederation and it has been since time immemorial,” said Cawston. “We will use this this property for projects that support the general welfare of our tribal members on and off our reservation.”

Cawston said he hopes to meet with Franklin County and Tri-Cities officials including the commissioners and Pasco’s mayor and city council.

“We can get better acquainted, learn more about our respective governments, and talk about how to cooperate on development of the property in ways that would benefit not just the Colville Tribes but all area residents,” said Cawston. “We intend to be good neighbors. If we work together toward shared goals it will truly be amazing what we can accomplish.”

Following the 1885 Nez Perce War, 150 Palus and Nez Perce tribal members including Chief Joseph and Yellow Bull were moved to the Colville Reservation. Later other Palus tribal members joined their relatives on the reservation.

“Nez Perce and Palus members on the Colville Reservation always lamented the loss of our sacred homelands, which hold the bones of our ancestors,” said Cawston. “Many of our tribal members carry the names of our Palus and Nez Perce ancestors.”

The Colville Tribal Confederation is comprised of 12 tribes whose ancestral homelands encompass territories in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia.

“It has always been our hope to regain some of these lands for the benefit of our people today and for future generations,” Cawston said.