John Slocum

Squ-sacht-un (1838 – 11 November 1897), also known as John Slocum, was a member of the Squaxin Island Tribe, Coast Salish, and a reputed holy man and prophet who founded the Indian Shaker Church in 1881.

Early life Born in Mason County, Washington in 1838, Slocum was introduced to Christianity by missionaries working in Washington's Puget Sound region. As a young man he had lived on the Skokomish Indian Reservation, where he attended a Presbyterian church and also became familiar with the Roman Catholic faith after being baptized by a Catholic priest. He worked as a cutter and hauler for a lumber company, and eventually became a foreman, owning his own logging company with a 14-man crew. In order to facilitate the transport of timber, Slocum's crew constructed several corduroy roads on the reservation. His family believed that he was dead, however Slocum revived after a few hours and said that he had had a vision in which he was transported to the gates of heaven. There he met an angel who told him that because he had led an immoral life, he would not be permitted to enter. The angel gave Slocum the choice of going to Hell or returning to earth to instruct his people in a new religion. and his son Wovoka, and Smohalla, all of whom had prophetic visions. In 1886, Slocum began preaching a message he designated "Tschadam." Slocum said God had informed him that Native Americans would be saved if they gave up harmful behaviors such as drinking, smoking tobacco, and gambling. He also warned against shamanistic healers and their rituals. While his wife, Mary Thompson Slocum, cared for him, she started shaking uncontrollably in his presence. When he recovered, he interpreted her shaking as a spiritual manifestation which saved him from death. Slocum incorporated shaking or twitching into the religion as a way to brush off sin, sickness, or bad feelings. This practice led non-natives to call the Church the "Indian Shaker Religion." Slocum and some of his followers were imprisoned regularly for their opposition to government-mandated acculturation programs for Pacific Coast peoples. Persecutions ended after the church was incorporated in Oregon (1907), Washington (1910), and California (1932), and in the late 20th century more than 20 congregations united, with some 3,000 adherents.

Death and legacy Slocum died in Oakland, Washington in 1897 and was initially buried in Johns Prairie, an outlying district of Shelton, Washington. Louis was in turn succeeded by his brother "Mud Bay Sam" Yowaluch (1846–1911), another friend of Slocum.