Chinook people
Chinook called the one hand, a group of Indian tribes in the northwestern United States, more specifically in the state of Washington, on the other hand, in a narrower sense, the root of the Lower Chinook in the lower Columbia River. Your residential area is expected to Northwestern culture area, which became known for the huge carving celebrity, although they contributed little to himself. Her story shows particularly clearly contribute as little European notions of tribal structures for whitening. In addition, it is extremely complicated.
History
Early History
The Chinook was primarily a nation of rivers and lived primarily of salmon and game, roots and berries. The Columbia upwards following settled above the Lower Chinook Clatsop, Cathlamet, Multnomah, Watlala or Cascade, the Clowwewalla (also called Cushooks, Chahcowah or Willamette - Tumwater ), Clackamas, Chilluckittequaw (Hood River) and the Wasco ( Wascopam, Walla Walla ).
The Lower Chinook lived on the north side of the estuary of the Columbia to Grays Bay, but also on the coast north to Willapa and Shoalwater Bay. In 1800, the tribe should have covers approximately 800 members. The total number of Chinook is estimated at up to 16,000.
Even before the arrival of Europeans traded Chinese and Chinook each other as Edward Curtis suspected. One of his photos shows that the Chinook used Chinese coins as a headdress.
European contacts
The expedition of Lewis and Clark first reported by the Chinook in the lower Columbia River. When they met them, they estimated their number at 400 They were armed only with spears, an indication that the onset of trade since about 1778 Europeans - the most guns included - the region, more specifically, the Clatsop, not yet fully had reached proportions. According to the report of Lewis and Clark, they also knew even just the names and sizes of ships that had come to them before the two Americans.
Before the great epidemics, the Chinook were the most important dealers in the Columbia, the most important waterway between the west coast and the interior. From the mouth of the Columbia upstream to The Dalles, they dominated as middlemen trade. It is significant that the Chinook jargon for the lingua franca of trade was when he was interspersed with European terms. The trade took place in The Dalles and Celilo mainly. The Chinook were the trading route between the north-west coast to Alaska on the one hand and the Plains, the interior of the continent, on the other hand. The Interconnection took over the Nez Perce, the Crow and Flathead.
After clashes with white gold diggers the Chinook were almost completely wiped out in a battle on the September 1, 1858 against the troops of George Wright ( 1803-1865 ). This battle was the Battle of Four Lakes (now Spokane ) known. In her 500 U.S. soldiers were slightly less than 500 over Indians. The battle was the defeat of Colonel Edward J. Steptoe (1816-1865) preceded in May.
Epidemics and the displacement from the commercial and reservations led to the separation and grouping of living groups, as with all the tribes of the Northwest, the real focus of the integration. This gives the impression of dissolving and new emerging strains considered to whites as an integration focus in contrast.
In the reservations of the states of Washington and Oregon, so Warm Springs, Yakima, Chehalis, Quinault and Grand Ronde, some groups of the Lower Chinook collected. The largest group was formed in 1950, the Wasco at Warm Springs. Many have used their relationships and changed the reserves, got married there and are often considered members of the new strain. So lived after the Second World War 120 " Upper Chinook " in the Quinault Reservation, as well as in the Shoalwater Bay and Chehalis Reservation. 1970 were reported including 609 Wasco Chinook.
The Clatsop lived in the area around Cape Adams, on the south side of the Columbia, the way up to Tongue Point and south to Tillamook Head, Oregon.
They united with other tribes and the rest moved to the Grand Ronde Reservation in Oregon. Its population was 700 in 1955, a year later, the people who live there have not been recognized as Indians. The reservation was disbanded, but they still complain about land rights.
The Cathlamet inhabited the southern shore between Tongue Point and Puget Iceland and the north shore of the Grays Bay to the east of Oak Point. They counted at the time of Lewis and Clark to have about 300 members, but their number fell to 1849 on only 50 to 60 you are considered extinct.
At the Clackamas River, named after the river tribe of Clackamas lived east of the Willamette River near Oregon City and to the Cascade Range. Lewis and Clark estimated 1,800 tribesmen, in 1851 there were 88, in 1910 even 40th 1937 they had recovered to 81 people. In all censuses, however, it seems to have been impossible, the found group homes precisely the "known" tribes associate.
The closely related with the Clackamas Multnomah or Wappato lived around Sauvies Iceland in the mouth of the Willamette River. At the Falls of the Columbia, the Watlala or Cascade Indians lived. They numbered about 1780 probably 3,200 people, Lewis and Clark, they estimated at 2,800. Probably they have been merged into the neighboring tribes. Also on Willamette River lived the Clowwewalla to which the Cushooks, Chahcowahs, Willamette Tumwater and other bands included.
The Chilluckittequaw Lewis and Clark estimated 1,400 tribesmen. They lived partly to 1895 in Celilo Falls and Warm Springs.
The Wasco lived at The Dalles in Wasco County on the Columbia. Along with the remains of Watlala and other groups they moved to the Warm Springs Reservation, where they still live today. They were the most powerful tribe of the Upper Chinook and merged them with the remains of the smaller tribes.
Together with other tribes received the Chinook due to their deformed skulls for decoration ( Makrokephalie ) nicknamed Flathead.
The U.S. census in 2000 counted 1,689 Chinook again. 1996 talked for 12 Chinook their traditional language. Them the status of an Indian tribe was granted in 2001 for the first time, but this decision was revoked in 2002. In 2007 included more than 2,000 people to them, several hundred waiting for the registration.