Marya Moses, the last fluent speaker of Lushootseed from the Tulalip Tribes of Washington, died last week. She was 95.

Moses was born in a barn on the reservation in 1911. She was sent to a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school, where she wasn't allowed to speak her language.

A mother of 11, Moses later became the first woman to own and operate a commercial fishing boat. Her six daughters served as her crew.

Moses worked with the Tulalip Tribes to preserve Lushootseed. The tribe compiled a dictionary based on her knowledge and from other speakers, like Katherine Brown Joseph, who was the last Lushootseed from the Sauk Suiattle Tribe when she died last month at age 91.

Get the Story:
Tulalips mourn loss of last native speaker (The Everett Herald 10/3)

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Sauk-Suiattle Tribe loses oldest member, fluent speaker (09/14)