Sacagawea/Sacajawea and the Lewis & Clark Expedition: American Indian Perspectives

Presented by the
Department of History
College of Liberal Arts
Washington State University

The Department of History at Washington State University is utilizing the expertise of American Indian representatives and internationally recognized experts on Lewis and Clark to highlight the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expeditions. Through performance, discussion, and tribal accounts of the events as handed through oral histories for 200 years, students, faculty, and residents will gain unique tribal perspectives on the role of Native Americans, including Sacagawea/Sacajawea/Sakakawea and members of Northwest tribes.

This promises to provide an informative and enlightening dialogue because there is great discrepancy and even controversy surrounding details of the expeditions. For example, there are differences between tribes on the spelling of the name of the native woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark. Is it Sacagawea? Sacajawea? Or Sakakawea? Tribal perspectives differ in regard to the role she played. Was she a guide, an interpreter, or both? And there are differing accounts about how long she lived. Was she 25 or well in her 90s when she passed away?

The examinations and presentations will span 4 years in communities across the Northwest.