American History
Chinook Indians
Introduction
The Chinooks were a cultured union of fishers and hunters who resided along the tranquil banks of the Columbia River. Their strength built a great Native American nation, their craftsmanship a flourishing trade system, and their courage a legacy. The Chinooks may not be a child's first association with the word "Indian," but they are the esteemed trailblazors of the Northwest.
Creation
Handed down through oral legend, the Chinook people clung to their religion and taught it with pride to their children. (Creation Story) may be why we know the story today. The first record of Chinook creation was written by James Swan in 1857. The tale goes like this:
Man South Wind was traveling North when he came upon Old Woman, who was a giantess. (Chinook Indian Language) He asked her for some food, being rather famished. 3Not having any, Old Woman gave MAn South Wind a net which he took and caught a whale. (Chinook Indian Language) As he went to cut open the giant fish, Old Woman quickly warns him not to slit the fish crossways, but instead to slit it along the back. (Chinook Indian Language) Man South Wind disregarded her and slashed it crossways. Suddenly, the whale transforms into Thunderbird! (Chinook Indian Language) Thunderbird was part man part spirit. (Creation Story) Souring into the sky, Thunderbird flew to Saddle Mountain where he lay several eggs. (Chinook Indian Language) (Some acounts say 5 eggs) (Creation Story) Old Woman followed Thunderbird and cracked open one of the eggs to see if it was any good, but it was not. (Chinook Indian Language) Casting the foul egg down the mountain slope, as it fell, the egg changed into an native before hitting the base of the mountain. (Chinook Indian Language) Old Woman did this several times before Thunderbird returned. (Origin) Noting his missing eggs, Thunderbird jioned forces with Man South Wind in search of Old Woman to take revenge. (Chinook Indian Language) They have yet to find her as they travel north each year. (Chinook Indian Language)
As for the newly born natives, they saw women from the earth and plucked them from the rocks. (Creation Story) They founded the first Chinook tribe and moved along the Columbia River founding other tribes as they went. (Creation Story) Today, the rock from which the first woman was plucked still exists is the Pacific northwest. (Creation Story)
Appearance
The Chinooks were known as being short and having conic skulls. (Chinook Indians) Their head shape was not genetic. Instead,the Chinooks would shape their baby's head to show status. The wealthy would shape the heads, while slaves were forbade to do so. (Pritzker)(Endangered)
Food
Because of their amazing river location, the Chinooks thrived on an abundance of foods found near and from water. These included:
- salmon
- sturgeon
- eel
- smelt
- herring
- jerked venison
- camas roots
- fern roots
- flag roots
- salal berriers
- huckleberries
- wappatos (like potato bulbs)
- whale
- seal oil
(Pritzke, Encyclopedia)
Housing
Living up north near a river, the Chinook needed sturdy, temperature-regulating shelters to overcome frigid weather. The coastal tribes at the mouth of the Columbia River also prepared their homes for tipical sea winds and storms. Each village prepared about 20 longhouses for the winter months.
According to archeological evidence, the Chinooks dwelled in longhouses measuring 150-200 feet long and 20-30 feet wide. (Encyclopedia) Because of their size, Chinook longhouses accomodated several families during the winter months. (Encyclopedia) Its occupance slept on woven mates in bunkbeds lining the cedar plank walls. (Encyclopedia(Chinook Indians) The mats were constructed of cattail or tule rushes from their river resource. (Encyclopedia) The river also provided fish which could have been found hung on long poles overtop the fire, which was situated in the middle of the onghouse and whose smoke escaped through a hole in the roof. (Encyclopedia)The Chinooks lodged well those cold, riverside winters held snug in their longhouses.
As for the warm months, the Chinooks lived in simple light-framed, summer camps. (Pritzker)
Take a look at the drawings below to see the composure of a Chinook longhouse:
Chinook Bands and their Locations
The Chinook, a stationary people, lived along the Columbia River. (Encyclopedia) It was recorded in 1780 that approximately 22,000 Chinooks occupied today's Washington state and the surrounding coastal region. (Pritzker) They total territory covered over 100 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean around the Columbia River. (Encyclopedia)(Chinook Indians) Their total polulation over this distance was an estimated 19-20,000 before the arrival of the Europeans. (Encyclopedia) The Chinook bands and locations were as follows:
- Clatsop and Mulnomah = south side of the Columbian River; from the Willamette River to today's Oregon City
- Wasco = south side of the river; to the east of the Clatsop and Mulnomah bands
- Chinook proper = north of the river; along the coast all the way to Willpa Bay
- The Cathlamet = north of the river; east of the Chinook proper (Encyclopedia)
Occupations
The Chinook's riverside location was a key element that shaped their professions. Proven by the foods lilsted above, the Chinook were great fishers. (Chinook Indians) Obviously they needed a mode of transportation to attempt the Columbia River. Conoes were the Chinook's specialty. Later, as Europeans pursued trade with the natives, the Chinook dominated in river trade because of their numerous, waterworthy crafts. (Chinook Indians) Again to the river's credit, the Chinook were able to use their conoes to pursue navigation, especially along their west coast territory and the Columbia River. (Chinook Indians)
In addition, regardless of the cold winters, Washington has fine crops. Therefore, the Chinook were planters as well as fishermen, conoe makers, and traders. (Chinook Indians)
Language
The Chinook language is considered part of the Penutian family of Native American languages. (Pritzker)(Origin) Old Chinook was the first form of Chinookan language before transforming into Chinook Jargon by the 1800s. (Encyclopedia) As the Chinookan language changed, it was divided into Upper and Lower Chinookan. (Pritzker)(Origin)(Endangered) Probably quite similar to today's dialects or accents between the northern and southern states. Upper Chinookan belonged to the Chinook proper living north of the Columbia River. (Pritzker) Lower Chinookan belonged to the southern Chinook bands plus the Cathlemet. (Pritzker) Lower Chinookan was also known as Coastal Chinookan because it was spoken along the Pacific Coast. (Pritzker)(Origin)(Endangered) One rather influencial Chinook tribe, situated where the Columbia River emptied into the sea, spoke
Coastal Chinook which they called "Lowe" Chinook. (Origin)
Later, the Chinookan language was overarchingly called
"Chinook" as the Oregon Trade Language. (Pritzker) This
would soon morph into Chinook Jargon, the major trade
language of the northern Pacific Coast during years of trade
with Europeans. (Encyclopedia)
Chinook Jargon was first recorded in by Lewis and Clark on
their expedition to the Pacific Coast in 1805. (Encyclopedia)
It was mainly used for trade along the Pacific Northwest first
with other Native American tribes, then with Europeans. (Encyclopedia) Many of Chinook Jargon words have been
assimilated into English such as hike from hyak (hurry up)
hammock, tomato, potato, wow, and racoon. (Encyclopedia)
Chinook Jargon is still spoken by a few people. (Endangered)
To the left is a Youtube video of a gentlemen reading a children's book in Chinook Jargon. (Three Bears) Check it out:
Chinookan History and Culture at a Glance
Heirarchy
The Chinooks were seperated into differnt bands villages. (Pritzke, Encyclopedia) There were approximately 30 Chinook villages total. (Pritzker) Each village had a chief who acted as decision maker. The chief had an orator to speak to the lower classes. (Pritzker) A person's class was determined by their wealth status. (Pritzker) This is the same for most cultures, even ours today. Chinook slaves were the lowest class, then commoners, then chief. (Pritzker) Certain rights were reserved for the higher rank. For example, fishing areas were secluded for wealthy groups . (Pritzker) Also, only non-slave Chinook babies were given the priveledge of having their head squished by a board. (Pritzker) The flat head shape was considered culturally "in." To secure family wealth and prevent war between villages, the Chinook traded amongst eachother and married into alliances. (Pritzker)
Technology
In order to supply food for every Chinook, various tools were used. Several of these included nets, scoops, and spears for river hunting. (Pritzker) Others including traps and snares for land hunting. They also created wooden boxes, woven baskets, conoes, and totem poles. (Pritzker)
Attire
During the summer months, men prefered to wear nothing. (Pritzker) Women donned grass skirts. (Pritzker) Either male or female could have been seen sporting deerskin breechclouts. (Pritzker) During the winter, they all modeled the latest fur robes. (Pritzker) Ornamentation was quite like other Native Americans: feathers, beads, and shells.
Religion
Chinook Shamans claimed spiritual power to inflict or cure injury. (Pritzker) The Chinook youth often would trek into the woods alone at night to find guardian spirit powers. (Pritzker) A Chinook village would celebrate the first salmon run of each year. They dedicate song and dance to religious celebrations. (Pritzker)
Dissaster
Much of Native American culture was lost with the arrival of European settlers. Diseas ravaged the land. Trade introduced manufactured goods that soon replaced traditional methods of creating things. The Chinooks did not avoid these things either. In 1792 smallpox razed the land and struck the Chinooks. (Pritzker) By the 1800s, their flurishing trade caused neighbors to monopolize power and re-rank themselves in the new trade society. (Pritzker)
The Chinooks Today
The remaining Chinook Native American tribe is given recognition by Washington state, but not by the United States government. (Encyclopedia) There are curently 1400 members of this Chinookan society whose headquarters is located nead the mouth of the Columbia River. (Encyclopedia)
Bibliography
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Picture Bibliography
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