The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe composed of descendants of the Duwamish and Upper Puyallup Peoples who inhabited Central Puget Sound for thousands of years before non-Indian settlement.

We are Muckleshoot,
the First People of Seattle

Our Duwamish and Upper Puyallup ancestors were the first caretakers of the Puget Sound region. Like Muckleshoot Tribal members today, they lived in the area that is now Seattle as well as communities throughout the Duwamish River drainage.

An aged, black and white photo of a Muckleshoot man standing on a wooden canoe on the water. He holds a long paddle in the water.


As a sovereign Tribal nation led by an elected council, we actively invest in our community, sustain our environment, and contribute to the regional economy. The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is one of South King County’s largest employers, supporting 3,300 direct jobs and providing hundreds of millions of dollars to the regional economy.

Our people have always depended on rivers, forests, and seas. We hunted and gathered on the land and fished the waterways. We have always seen ourselves as part of the land, not owners of it, and we treat our environment with care and respect. Our commitment to protecting our people and communities brought us through the Tribe’s darkest times and continues to guide us today as we move into a new era of prosperity and empowerment. Our dedication to grit, self-reliance, securing our rights, and upholding our sovereignty has never been stronger.

in the news

From the Muckleshoot Messenger

The Muckleshoot Messenger is a Tribal publication created by the Muckleshoot Office of Media Services. Tribal community members and Tribal employees are welcome to submit items to the newspaper such as news, calendar items, photos, poems, and artwork.

October 2025
Edition

Local Native Writer Gains International Recognition for Indigenous Screenplay

Tobi Iverson Halliday, a Tsimshian and Turtle Mountain Chippewa writer based in the Pacific Northwest, is gaining national and international recognition for her debut feature screenplay, Wild Woman of the Woods.

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October 2025
Edition

Seattle Art Center Partnership

Muckleshoot's collaboration with Cannonball Arts helps bring attention to the Tribe and its ongoing support for Northwest cultural activities just a short distance from the Seattle Center.

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October 2025
Edition

White River Bridge Repairs Near Completion

It's been a long, frustrating hassle for Tribal members, students, workers, or anyone trying to come to Muckleshoot — or go home — over the White River Bridge on State Route 410 between Buckley and Enumclaw.

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From the Muckleshoot Messenger

October 2025
Edition

Local Native Writer Gains International Recognition for Indigenous Screenplay

Tobi Iverson Halliday, a Tsimshian and Turtle Mountain Chippewa writer based in the Pacific Northwest, is gaining national and international recognition for her debut feature screenplay, Wild Woman of the Woods.

read article
October 2025
Edition

Seattle Art Center Partnership

Muckleshoot's collaboration with Cannonball Arts helps bring attention to the Tribe and its ongoing support for Northwest cultural activities just a short distance from the Seattle Center.

read article
October 2025
Edition

White River Bridge Repairs Near Completion

It's been a long, frustrating hassle for Tribal members, students, workers, or anyone trying to come to Muckleshoot — or go home — over the White River Bridge on State Route 410 between Buckley and Enumclaw.

read article
October 2025
Edition

Skopabsh Powwow: A Celebration of Culture

Muckleshoot and Tribes from around the region danced, drummed, sang, and celebrated over 3 days at the Skopabsh Powwow in late August.

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