July 11, 2002
Page 9
THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES LANGUAGE LESSON-
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
Summer Activities
pacate
Pahabegakwe
(Swimming)
Unu n'audutupunne!
It's so hot!
Ya tabeno tamme nabekeagakwe.
We're going swimming today.
4L'
t
Tuuno'na, paanona
Pack a lunch, and take water.
Pesa tamme paawi'yoona tubemooana.
We're going to have lots of fun in the water.
Pesa namapeaseana.
Be very careful.
Ono ki na'ma'ekwe.
So you won't get hurt.
Pesa mana'we!
Have fun!
1
Language Classes:
Wasco: Mondays from 3:30 to 5 PM
in the Education Building (1st Floor
Training Room)
Paiute: Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5
PM in the Language Trailer.
Sahaptin: Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 3:30 to 5 PM in the Language
Home Base Classes:
Wasco: Thursdays from 6 to 8 PM.
Held at Cladys Tompson's Home
(For info, call Val Switlzer at
553-3575.)
Paiute: Tuesdays from 5 to 8 PM.
Held at Cheryl Lohman's Home.
(For info, call Pat Miller at 553
3575.) Sahaptin: Thursdays from 5 to 8 PM.
Held in the Simnasho Area.
(For info, call Suzie Slockish at
553-2201.)
Here is a portion of historical work published on
the World-Wide-Web, by the University of Oregon,
which is originally taken from a book by Johnson.
You can visit it at: http:logos.uoreaon.edu.
Remebering what has been lost reminds us how
precious what we have is...
Chinook Tribes
"CHINOOKIAN A small family of Indians inhab
iting the lower Columbia River in Washington and
Oregon as far up that river as The Dalles. The
Chinooks were primarily a bay and river people,
dependent on fishing (salmon) as well as game.
They lacked the developed woodcarving art of the
west coast tribes of British Columbia and northern
Washington, although often classified in the same
cultural area. They have been classified as the
Upper and Lower Chinook, referring to their loca
tion on the Columbia River. They were first noticed
generally by Lewis and Clark in 1 805, and after
wards were greatly diminished in numbers by
diseases brought by white trades. The majority of
the individual tribes forming this family became
extinct as separate identities before 1 900; but a
few hundred have fused with other tribes on the
Warm Springs, Yakima, Chehalis, Quinault and
Grande Ronde Reservations in Washington and
Oregon; the largest single element by 1 950 were
the Wasco at Warm Springs, Oregon. A few have
maintained themselves off reservations.
"Before their decline in population the
Chinookian tribes became the greatest traders on
the Columbia River, a great water highway stretch
ing from the area of the coastal tribes into the
immense interior. Their geographical position at
the mouth of that river up to The Dalles gave
them the opportunity to become middlemen in the
development of trade relationships between the
coast and the interior. The development of the
Chinook Jargon, an Indian trade language based
originally on Chinook words but later incorporating
an increasing vocabulary of European origin, bears
witness to the importance of the Chinook tribes in
pre-1 840 trade relations. Contacts and trade took
place largely on the Columbia River at Celilo or The
Dalles, when material culture from the northern
edge of the Plains mingled with and was ex
changed for material from as far as Alaska. From
there the Nez Perce were the main outlet to the
northern Plains via their associations with the
Crow and to a lesser extent the Flathead.
"THE 'LOWER CHINOOK': CHINOOK PROPER or
LOWER CHINOOK A Chinookan tribe inhabiting the
mouth of the Columbia River, giving their name to
include tribes to the interior of similar language
under the name Chinookian stock. Their territory
extended to Shoalwater Bay in the north, and the
tribe numbered 800 in 1 800. They gained consid
erable fame through their trading with British and
American companies, and the Chinook Jargon, a
trade language of the northwest originally based
on the Chinook language, existed until 1 900. From
Lewis and Clark, Nov. 1 805: 'This Chinook nation
is about 400 souls, inhabit the country on the
small river which runs into bay below us and on
the Ponds to the North West of us, live principally
on fish and roots, they are well armed with fusees
and sometimes kill Elk, Deer, and fowl.'
"Their few remnants mixed with the
Chehalis or remained in public domain, and had
almost disappeared as a separate people by 1 945
when 1 20 'Upper Chinook' remained on the
Quinault Reservation, Washington; although of
mixed origin they included descendants of the
Chinook proper. A few more have been associated
with Shoalwater Bay and Chehalis reserves, and
some have never been on reservations. In 1 970
609 'Chinook' were reported, excluding Wasco,
apparently accounting for the whole family. Two
smaller groups, the Wahkiakum and Willapa Indi
ans, probably belong to this group.
"CLATSOP An important coastal Chinookian
tribe of the Cape Adams area, Clatsop County,
Oregon. From Lewis and Clark, who estimated
their population at 300, in 1 806: 'The Clatsaps,
Chinnooks, Killamucks etc. are very loquacious and
inquisitive; they possess good memories and have
repeated to us the name and capacities of the
vessels etc. of the many trades and others who
have visited the mouth of the river (Columbia);
they are generally low in stature, proportionably
small, reather lighter complected and much more
illy formed then the Indians on the Missouri and
those of our frontier; they were generally cheerfull
but never gay. With us their conversation gener
ally turns upon subjects of trade, smoking, eating
and women. In common with other savage nations
they make their women perform every species of
domestic drudgery; their women are also com
pelled to gather roots and assist them in taking
fish which articles form much the greater part of
their subsistence; notwithstanding the servile
manner in which they treat their women they pay
much more respect to their judgement and opin
ions in many respects than most Indian nations.'
"With the mixed remnants of the other
ruined neighbouring tribes they moved to the
Grande Ronde Reservation, Oregon. In 1910 they
were reported as numbered 26 persons. The
Clatsop are not now separately entered amongst
the general Indian population of the Grande Ronde
Agency, the population of which was about 700 in
1955, although most have lost their identity as
Indians. In 1 956 the Reservation and Indian people
of Grande Ronde were no longer recognised, and
the Reservation as such was terminated. However,
they have recently been reactivated and have filed
land claims against the U.S. Government. .
"CATHLAMET A tribe forming a dialect divi
sion of the Chinookian stock near the mouth of
the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, to a
point up that river near the present city of Rainier
on the south bank. In 1 806 Lewis and Clark esti
mated them at 300: 'The Killaniucks, Clatsops,
Chinooks, Cathlahmahs and Wac-ki-a-cums re
semble each other as well as in their person and
dress as in their habits and manners their com
plexion is not remarkable, being the usual copper
brown of the most tribes in North America.' About
50 or 60 were reported in 1 849. A remnant of the
Cathlamet may have moved to the Yakima Reser
vation with the Wishram, or to the Quinault Reser
vation with the mixed Chinook-Chehalis, but as
distinct groups they no longer exist."
"MULTNOMAH or WAPPATO A Chinookian
tribe of the Sauvie Islands at the mouth of the
Willamette River, Oregon. Remnants joined with
related groups and lost separate identity; they
were closely related to the Clackamas. Several
bands can be attributed to this tribe.
"WATLALA (CASCADE INDIANS) A Chinookian
tribe at the Cascades of the Columbia River and
the Willamette River in Oregon. Remnants joined
the Wishram and Wasco and lost separate iden
tity. Related to the Clackamas.
"CLOWWEWALLA A Chinookian tribe of the
Clackamas dialect, formerly living in Oregon on the
Willamette River, a tributary of the Columbia. They
have for many years been extinct as a separate
people. The Cushooks, Chahcowahs, Willamette
Tumwater and others where divisions of this tribe.
The last of this people were said to be on the
Grande Ronde Reservation.
"CLACKAMAS A tribal division of the Chinook
stock giving their name to a dialect group. They j
apparently moved to the Grande Ronde Reserva
tion, Oregon, and remained separate until recently,
being reported under this name in 1 945-89. This :
may, however, be a combination of various Chi
nook remnants.
"CHILLUCKITTEQUAW A Chinookian tribe of
Hood River on the south side of the Columbia, and
on the north side of the Columbia in Klickitat and :
Skamania Counties, Washington, along the White
Salmon River. A few remained separate as late as
1 895, mixed with a few Tenino (Waiam) at Celilo
Falls and Warm Springs."
"WASCO A Chinookian tribe of the inland
branch, their closest relatives being the Wishram, ,
living near the present The Dalles in Wasco
County, Oregon, on the Columbia River. They were
joined by the remnants of the Watlala and others
and removed to the Warm Springs Reservation,
where a portion still remain as a separate people. :
In 1 91 0 they returned a number of 242 persons;
227 in 1 937; and 260 in 1 945. They are the only
independently reported Chinook group today. The
Dalles Indians, Wasco and Wascopan were divisions
of this tribe."
(Johnson, p. 1 74-6)
o O o O o O o
Columbia River