Spokan

people

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July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The Spokan are a Salishan people indigenous to northeastern Washington. Their name translates to "sun people". They speak a dialect of Kalispel, which is part of the Interior Salish language group. The Spokan people are historically associated with the area around the Spokane River, which flows through the city of Spokane, Washington. The city of Spokane was named for the Spokan Tribe.1234

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Plateau Indian
Language
Sanpoil, Nespelim, Spokan, Kalispel, Pend d’Oreille, Coeur d’Alene, and Flathead peoples. Some early works incorrectly denote all Salishan groups as “Flathead.”
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Sanpoil, Nespelim, Spokan, Kalispel, Pend d’Oreille, Coeur d’Alene, and Flathead peoples. Some early works incorrectly denote all Salishan groups as “Flathead.”
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