Although not currently recognized by the U.S. federal government, the Chinook Indian Nation comprises five Western Chinookan-speaking tribes at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Chinook tribes include the Clatsop and Cathlamet (Kathlamet) in Oregon, and the Lower Chinook, Wahkiakum (Waukikum), and Willapa (Weelappa) in Washington State.
Chinookan people have resided along the Lower and Middle Columbia River since at least 4000 BCE. Members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition encountered the Chinook on the lower Columbia in 1805.
As for its language, the term Chinookan was coined by linguists to distinguish the older language from its offspring, Chinuk Wawa, also known as Chinook Jargon, which spread from the lower Columbia River to British Columbia, parts of Alaska, California, Idaho, and Montana. While much of its vocabulary is based on Chinook, it also uses French and English. Early speakers of Chinuk Wawa referred to it as "the Wawa" or "Lelang." While Chinuk Wawa began as a pidgin trade language, it has since developed its own grammatical system, made popular due to the ease with which it can be learned.
Chinookan consisted of three languages with multiple varieties. Known as Chinook-proper, Lower Chinook was used by Coastal Chinook, while the Columbia Chinook used Upper Chinook (also known as Kiksht). The other Chinook language was Kathlamet, also known as Katlamat or Cathlamet.
Unfortunately, the last known native speaker of any Chinookan language died in 2012, 270 non-native speakers of Upper Chinook were identified in 2013.
Some Chinookan people are members of other recognized tribes, such as the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, and the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde Community.
Consisting of the five westernmost tribes of Chinookan peoples, the Chinook Indian Nation has long been working to restore federal recognition. The Nation was temporarily successful in gaining federal recognition in 2001 from the Department of Interior under President Bill Clinton, this was revoked shortly after President George W. Bush was elected to office.
Another unrecognized group, the Tchinouk Indians of Oregon, trace their ancestry to two Chinook women who married French Canadian traders from the Hudson Bay Company before 1830. However, it couldn't be determined which Chinook these women were from. They settled in the French Prairie region of northwestern Oregon, where they became part of a community of French Canadians and Métis. The Chinook Indian Nation has denied any common history or affiliation with them, and, thus far, they have not gained federal recognition.
Formed in 2000, the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederate Tribes claims to have Chinookan and Salish-speaking Tillamook ancestry. Although the Chinook Indian Nation contested their inclusion, the Indian Claims Commission found, in 1957, that the Clatsop Chinooks were part of the Chinook Indian Nation, while the Nehalem members were part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
In 1851, Anson Dart, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Oregon Territory, was sent to the area where the Columbia River drains into the Pacific Ocean on what is now the northwestern Oregon coast. His task was to prepare the Indigenous people living there for removal to a reservation in the eastern part of the state. When the Chinook refused, an agreement was made. Known as the Tansey Point Treaty, it dictated that the Chinook would cede over a hundred miles of coastal land to the U.S. government in return for the right to remain in their villages and continue hunting and fishing in traditional ways. It was also agreed to that certain white settlers would be removed and the federal government would fund programs to support the tribe.
The Tansey Point Treaty was never ratified by the U.S. government. Today, nearly two hundred years later, the absence of a ratified treaty has delegitimized the Chinook politically, blocking them from participating in matters of federal-tribal relations and from programs established to aid Indigenous peoples. Thus, the Chinook Indian Nation is one of hundreds of historic but federally-unrecognized tribes in the United States.
Historic Chinook lived in plank houses built from red cedar. These houses were built over a pit that was roughly the same size as the building. They used wooden pegs rather than nails, and the wooden planks were overlapped to keep the rain out. There were no windows, but there were roof slots to let the smoke from cooking fires out and fresh air in. The Chinook plank house featured a portal or entryway totem pole, which identified the owner and family of the house.
The Chinook traveled in canoes made from cedar tree logs that were dug out after charring the wood to make it easier to cut away. The Chinook also built large whaling canoes that were stable on the ocean.
Recommended Resources
In 2001, the Chinook Nation obtained federal recognition from the U.S. government but was rescinded eighteen months later. Due to this, the nation has been unable to access programs and resources that federally recognized tribes are entitled to, costing educational and economic opportunities. An introduction is presented, including a map showing locations, historical data, an alphabet chart, and an overview of its language, government, stories, photos, and online store.
https://chinooknation.org/
Hosted on a website that includes an index of Native Indian tribes and peoples, its section covering the Chinook Tribe includes a summary and definition of the tribe, information about traditional Chinook lifestyles and culture, its use of totem poles, and an overview and map showing the area inhabited by the Chinook. Traditional Chinook lived in plank houses, which are described here, along with its use of canoes, traditional clothing, weapons, religion, and language.
https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/indian-tribes/chinook-tribe.htm
Confluence Library: Lower Chinook: Chinook
Confluence is a community-supported non-profit that works through six art landscapes, educational programs, and public gatherings in collaboration with northwest tribes, communities, and the celebrated artist Maya Lin. Its page on the Chinook begins with a brief overview of the tribe and its lack of status as a recognized tribe, then continues with a discussion of its homelands, changes among Lower Chinook peoples, traditional trade practices, and seasonal cycles.
https://www.confluenceproject.org/library-post/peoples-of-cape-disappointment/
Public History PDX: Lower Columbia River Chinookan Communities
A project of the Department of History at Portland State University, the Center for Columbia River History, has collected a significant archive of materials related to the history of the Chinookan peoples who have lived along the Lower Columbia River for thousands of years. Multimedia materials, such as short narratives, images, primary documents, video and audio interviews, and recorded talks, are made available online, along with questions of historical interpretation. A blog is included.
https://publichistorypdx.org/projects/chinook/
Restore Federal Recognition for the Chinook Indian Nation
In 2001, the Chinook Nation obtained federal recognition from the United States government, but it was rescinded eighteen months later. Due to its lack of status as a recognized tribe, the Nation has been unable to access programs and resources that recognized tribes are entitled to. Created by the Chinook Indian Nation, this site was created to bring attention to this problem and call for its correction. The history of the Nation is provided, along with a call for action.
https://chinookjustice.org/
