Hoh people facts for kids
A Hoh woman, photographed in 1905
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| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 United States ( Washington) |
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| Languages | |
| Quinault, Quileute, English |
The Hoh people, also known as Chalá·at, are a Native American tribe. They live in western Washington state in the United States. Their home is on the Pacific Coast, on a piece of land called the Olympic Peninsula.
The Hoh tribe moved to the Hoh Indian Reservation after signing the Quinault Treaty on July 1, 1855. This reservation is located at the mouth of the Hoh River, right on the Pacific Ocean. It is in Jefferson County. In the year 2000, about 102 people lived there, and most of them were Native Americans. The reservation is located between the towns of Forks and Queets. The Hoh River is very important to their way of life. They traditionally used resources like cedar trees, salmon, and local plants. They also traded with other tribes from Eastern Washington.
What Does "Hoh" Mean?
The name of the Hoh River, and the Hoh people who are named after it, comes from the Quinault language. The Quinault word for the river is húxw.
The Hoh people call themselves Chalá·at or Chalat' (which means 'People of the southern river'). They use this name because of their own name for the Hoh River, Cha’lak’at’sit or Chalak'ac'it, which means "the southern river".
History of the Hoh People
In the past, the Hoh River area was a very busy place. There were at least seven permanent villages along the river. Most of these villages had a special trap for catching fish. The river was like a highway for the Hoh people. They used it to reach their fishing spots, hunting grounds, and places to gather food.
The river was also where salmon were born and where other freshwater fish lived. These fish were a big part of the Hoh people's yearly food supply. The land around the river also held important places for the Hoh. These included burial sites for their ancestors and special spots where they believed guardian spirits lived. Families also had their own camping and summer homesites near areas where they gathered resources. There were also many named places and trails along the river.
The Hoh people call their traditional lands and their reservation ChalAt’i’lo t’sikAti. This means 'the land belonging to the people who live at the Hoh River'.
Today, the Hoh people are seen as a group connected to the Quileute tribe. However, the original Hoh language was actually the Quinault language. This means they were related to the Quinault people. Over time, the Hoh and Quileute tribes married each other. Because of this, the Hoh became a tribe that spoke two languages: Quileute and Quinault. Eventually, the Quileute language became more common. Today, most people from all three tribes speak American English as their main language.
Like many tribes on the Northwest Coast, the Hoh people's way of life centered around fishing for salmon.
Traditional Plant Uses
The Hoh people use a plant called Vaccinium myrtilloides. They eat its fruit raw, cook the berries into a stew, and make them into a sauce. They also store the berries in cans to eat during the winter months.
