Changing Indian Names

Introduction: The U.S.policy to transform Indians into American citizens eroded many of the foundations of Native culture. As the transformation continued and Indian identity was extinguished even the names of Indians began to reflect the changes going on. In the following document one can this process at work. On the left are the approximate English spellings of Nisqually names. Next is the “new” identity of the Native American in American culture.

Census of the Indians of the Nisqually Reservation, W.T. belonging to the Puyallup Consolidated Agency, for 1888.