Seattle Dock Gets New Tribal Signs: This is How to Pronounce Them

Two new signs were installed at the Seattle Coleman Dock, but most people have no idea what they actually say.

New Lushootseed Signs Installed at Seattle’s Colman Dock Plazas

Yesterday (March 11, 2025), Washington State Ferries and its partners at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) unveiled newly installed signs for two plazas at Seattle's Colman Dock terminal, but most people can not pronounce them. The plazas are located along Alaskan Way/Dzidzilalich and now carry official Lushootseed names honoring local Native American tribes.

The names were chosen by the Muckleshoot and Suquamish Tribes to reflect the area’s deep indigenous roots and the cultural history of their people. The south plaza is located near Yesler Way and has been named sluʔwił. It is a term that refers to a canoe shortcut through the reeds near Colman Dock. The north plaza near Columbia Street is now called ʔulułali, which translates to "place of traveling by water."

Lushootseed is the traditional language of the Puget Sound's Coast Salish peoples and features distinct sounds like the glottal stop (ʔ). It is a feature not found in the standard English alphabet but used regularly in different English dialects. The glottal stop involves a brief closing of the throat to interrupt the flow of air. This sound is very common in many Indigenous languages but can be difficult for English speakers to pronounce correctly. The phonetic pronunciation of sluʔwił is “slew-weeth,” with emphasis on the “eeth,” while ʔulułali can be pronounced “ulu shaw-lee.”

The signage comes after the passage of Resolution 748, which named the plazas in recognition of the tribes’ historical and cultural ties to the area. Both the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the Suquamish Tribe have long-standing treaty rights to the waters of Elliott Bay, where the Colman Dock Project is located.

Some locals have expressed hope that additional signage explaining the meaning and phonetic pronunciation of these names will be added. This would help in both respect and understanding for the languages and cultures represented. Just remember,  “slew-weeth” and  “ulu shaw-lee.”