Chehalis people facts for kids
The Chehalis people are a group of native people who have lived in western Washington state, United States, for a very long time. Their name comes from the Lower Chehalis word "Ts-a-lis" or "Chi-ke-lis," which means "place of sand" or "shifting sands." This was the name of an old village near what is now Westport. Early European explorers heard this word and used it for the river and the people living along it.
It's important not to confuse the Chehalis people of Washington with another group called the Chehalis First Nation in British Columbia, Canada. They are different groups, even though their names sound similar.
The Chehalis people in Washington are divided into two main groups: the Upper Chehalis (also called Kwaiailk) and the Lower Chehalis. These two groups spoke different languages that were not easy for each other to understand. The Satsop River was generally the dividing line between them.
Today, many Chehalis people are part of federally recognized tribes. These include the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation (which includes both Upper and Lower Chehalis), the Quinault Tribe of the Quinault Reservation (mostly Lower Chehalis), the Shoalwater Bay Tribe (Lower Chehalis), and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe (Upper Chehalis). In 2010, there were about 250 Upper Chehalis and 500 Lower Chehalis people.
Chehalis Lands and Village Groups
The Chehalis people lived across a wide area in Washington state. They used the land and rivers for hunting, fishing, and gathering food.
The Upper Chehalis groups hunted in the mountains and prairies. They fished in rivers like the Cowlitz, Upper Chehalis, Newaukum, Skookumchuck, Black, and Satsop. Their culture was similar to other native groups of the Northwest Plateau. They relied on wild plants and fruits like camassia, serviceberry, chokecherry, huckleberry, and wild strawberry. By the 1800s, they had started using Horses, which helped them travel further to hunt deer and elk.
The Lower Chehalis groups fished in the Middle and Lower Chehalis, Wynoochee, Wishkah, Humptulips, Elk, Johns, Hoquiam, North, Willapa, Niawiakum, and Palix rivers. They also fished in Grays Harbor and the Lower Puget Sound. Like many Northwest Coast native groups, they depended on fishing, especially for Pacific salmon. They built plank houses (longhouses) to stay warm and dry during the wet winters west of the Cascade Mountains. They used resources like cedar for building and crafts.
Some of the Lower Chehalis village groups included:
- Copalis: Lived along the Copalis River and the Pacific Coast. Many Copalis people are now part of the Quinault Tribe or the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.
- Humptulips: Lived along the Humptulips River and around Grays Harbor. This group also included people from the Hoquiam River and Wishkah River. Today, their descendants are part of the Quinault Tribe, Shoalwater Bay Tribe, and Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.
- Wynoochee: Lived along the Wynoochee River. Today, their descendants are part of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and the Quinault Tribe.
Some of the Upper Chehalis village groups included:
- Satsop: Lived along the Satsop River. Today, many are part of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.
- Kwaiailk (or Upper Chehalis proper): Lived in the Upper Chehalis River area, extending to the Cowlitz River. They spoke two dialects. Many Kwaiailk people are now part of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and some are with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.
Chehalis Languages
The Chehalis people spoke two main languages: Lower Chehalis and Upper Chehalis language. Both of these languages belong to the Coast Salish family of languages. These languages are spoken by many indigenous groups along the Northwest Coast.
Chehalis Reservation
The Chehalis people settled on their current Chehalis Indian Reservation in 1860. This reservation is located along the Chehalis River. It covers an area of about 18 square kilometers (7 square miles) in southeastern Grays Harbor and southwestern Thurston Counties.
According to the 2000 census, 691 people lived on the reservation. By the 2010 census, the population had grown to 853 members. The main communities on the reservation are Chehalis Village and part of the city of Oakville.
Images for kids
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A map showing the location of the Chehalis people.
