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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    3 CD box set with 40 songs about Olympia WA plus a detailed 80 page book with the history behind the songs and a plethora of great photos. With over 100 Olympa musicians. Stunning!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Olympia - A True Story via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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This is one of the earliest songs for the project. I used only one source for the song, A People’s History of The Seven Inlets – Steh-Chass by the Squaxin Island Tribe. There are no individual authors listed.

The booklet notes:
The Squaxin Island Tribe is the sole authority of its cultural knowledge, which outside writers have attempted to interpret. ... While helpful, some of these works may contain misrepresentations. For the unabridged, authoritative history of the Squaxin Island Tribe, please visit the Squaxin Island Museum, Library and Research Center.

I have done my best to stick to the facts and avoid interpreting – I encourage listeners to go to www.SquaxinIslandMuseum.org and check it out.
I love Joe’s Zawinul-esque playing on this song. Lisa suggested adding a final and very groovy chorus to the song after it was tracked – brilliant!
A note from Lisa C.: It was a profound honor and privilege to sing this tribute to the Squaxin tribe and to the Nisqually tribe.

The Squaxin Island Tribe (2018) A People’s History of The Seven Inlets – Steh-Chass.
Shelton, WA: Squaxin Island Tribe

lyrics

People of the Water
Navigating on the seven inlets
Living here in Steh-Chass
They’ve got everything that they need

Salmon, shellfish, deer and bear and elk
Plants and trees and more to meet their needs
Teaching is woven into songs and dances
Clothes for dancers made from plants and trees

White men first came as traders
By 1850, they were here to stay
White man’s diseases took many Squaxin lives

The Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 took millions of acres of land
Indians were soon confined to Squaxin Island
White people could shoot them if they left
Boarding schools took children from their tribes to assimilate

Billy Frank Jr. was first arrested 1945
Fifty more times they’d take him to jail
Fighting for their treaty rights the state chose to ignore
But in Boldt’s court the tribes prevailed

People of the Water
Started winning and making gains
Squaxin Island moved to Native rule
Expanding land and self-determination

Building casinos and museums
Winning shellfish rights in ‘99
Winning salmon habitat restoration in 2001

People of the Water
Navigators of the Seven Inlets
People of the Water
Holding the spirit of the land
People of the Water

credits

from Olympia - A True Story, released October 14, 2022
The True Olympians

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Tom Dyer and The True Olympians Olympia, Washington

The True Olympians were formed shortly after Tom Dyer moved back to his hometown Olympia in 2006. Their focus is primarily recording, though they do play yer occasional live show. Current members: Tom - vox, guitar etc,, Gene Tveden- bass, b-vox, Joe Cason - keys, b-vox, Lisa Ceazan- vocals, and Jeff Parkhurst - drums, b-vox. Jeff is the band's 4th drummer. ... more

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