Indigenous Couples Legally Wed in Shelton
Four Indigenous couples at Skokomish hold a ceremony to secure legal recognition of their long-standing marriages.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
At the Court House in Shelton May 20th, by Rev. Myron Eells, were married: Tyee Bob or Go-qui-had and Mary or Ga-yal; Tom or Smithkum and Molly; Old Man John or Qui-a-tence and Lizzie Alia Jane; Peter or Klabsh and Abbie Ya-a-h-feh. From the names it will be seen that this wholesale joining of hearts is among the Indians. It was not the union of young hearts and hopes by any means, but of old hearts, and affliction, as we noticed one old and sightless groom being led by a shawl in the hands of his dusky spouse. These couples have lived together many years, legally from the Indian standpoint, but there is some doubt whether Uncle Sam will in the future recognize the legality of their aboriginal transaction, and to protect the interest of the rising generation the Indians have procured licenses and are married like their white brothers. Doubtless a great many more will follow suit, especially those who are now holding patents to lands on the reservation.
“These couples have lived together many years, legally from the Indian standpoint, but there is some doubt whether Uncle Sam will in the future recognize the legality of their aboriginal transaction.”
This event captures the precarious transition of Indigenous peoples forced into the bureaucracy of U.S. property and family law to secure their land rights. It underscores how the legal system used marriage licenses as a tool for assimilation and land control during the allotment era.
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