Since May 8, 1792, European colonists have called the large volcano just off the coast of Puget Sound "Mount Rainier."

It was given that name by a British explorer, Captain George Vancouver – a gift to his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.

But prior to Vancouver’s arrival in what eventually became Washington state, the Indigenous peoples in and around the Salish Sea called it by many names.

A linguistic paper from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians traced those many names for the mountain – where they came from, and what they mean.

This conversation originally aired on May 5, 2025.

Guests:

Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir, linguist and Lushootseed language teacher

Related Links:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Byron Donalds for Governor of Florida? With Rep. Byron Donalds