Peace Weavers: Uniting the Salish Coast Through Cross-Cultural Marriages

Strategic cross-cultural marriages between Coast and Interior Salish families and pioneer men played a crucial role in mid-1800s regional settlement and spared Puget Sound's upper corner from tragic conflicts. Accounts of the husbands exist in a variety of records, but the native wives' contributions remained unacknowledged. Combining primary and secondary sources, genealogy, and family memories, author Candace Wellman illuminates this hidden history and shatters stereotypes surrounding these relationships. The four women she profiles exhibited exceptional endurance, strength, and adaptability. They ran successful farms and businesses and acted as cultural interpreters and mediators. Although each story is unique, collectively they and other intermarried individuals helped found Puget Sound communities and left a lasting legacy. They were peace weavers. "Wellman writes with a depth of detail and compassion that will make this an instant classic in the genre and a reference touchstone for decades to come."--Mike Vouri, author, "The Pig War: Standoff at Griffin Bay" "Wellman digs deep and brings the women's considerable accomplishments to the fore. Meticulous research supports each element of these engaging stories."--Llyn De Danaan, author, "Katie Gale: A Coast Salish Woman's Life on Oyster Bay" "Wellman brings us a set of stories that have been misunderstood, ignored, or covered up by generations of Pacific Northwest historians."--Coll Thrush, author, "Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place" "The . . . research is wide-ranging and by every measure exhaustive. [Peace Weavers is] a detective story of sorts, weaving together fragments of the past."Jean Barman, Co-editor, "Indigenous Women and Feminism: Politics, Activism, Culture"