Hupa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hupa
Natinixwe

A Hupa man by Edward S. Curtis, c. 1923
Total population
3139 enrolled (2013)
Regions with significant populations
United States ( California)
Languages
English, Hupa
Religion
Hupa traditional beliefs, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Chilula and Whilkut

A Hupa white deerskin dance by A.W. Ericson

The Hupa are a group of Native American people. They live in northwestern California. Their language, Hupa, is part of the Athabaskan language family.

The Hupa call themselves Natinixwe. This name means "People of the Place Where the Trails Return." Most Hupa people today are part of the federally recognized Hoopa Valley Tribe.

A Look at Hupa History

A Hupa sweat house made from wood planks and rocks.

The Hupa people moved from the north into northern California around the year 1000 CE. They settled in a place called Hoopa Valley, California (which they call Natinook). Their traditional lands stretched from the South Fork of the Trinity River to Hoopa Valley and up to the Klamath River.

The Hupa built houses from red cedar planks. They also made canoes from hollowed-out logs and special basket hats. Many of their stories and traditions show their northern roots. However, they also learned some customs from nearby tribes. For example, they adopted the use of a sweat house for ceremonies and learned to make acorn bread. The Tsnungwe, Chilula, and Whilkut people are closely related to the Hupa.

Coming of New Settlers

The Hupa people had little contact with non-native people until the 1849 California Gold Rush. This event brought many miners onto their lands. In 1864, the United States government signed a treaty with the Hupa tribe. This treaty recognized the Hupa's right to their land.

The government created the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation for the Hupa people. This was one of the few California tribes not forced to leave their homeland. The reservation is next to the Yurok territory. It is located where the Klamath and Trinity Rivers meet. The reservation covers about 141 square miles.

A Hupa female shaman, around 1923.

Protecting Their Rivers

The Hupa people are working to protect the Klamath River and Trinity River. They are involved in talks to remove hydroelectric dams from these rivers. These dams affect the salmon, which are very important to the Hupa.

In 2017, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Hoopa Valley Tribe. The judge agreed with plans designed by tribal scientists. These plans aim to reduce a deadly fish disease. This disease had infected many young salmon in previous years.

Hupa Culture and Traditions

Arts and Crafts

Hupa people have been skilled at making baskets for a long time. They also carve beautiful items from elk horn. Some of their earliest art includes petroglyphs, which are designs carved into rocks.

Traditional Plants

The Hupa traditionally used acorns from the Notholithocarpus densiflorus tree. They would grind these acorns into a meal. From this meal, they made mush, bread, biscuits, pancakes, and cakes. They also roasted and ate the acorns.

For basketry, they used the dyed fronds (leaves) of the Woodwardia radicans fern. They also used Xerophyllum tenax (beargrass) to create special patterns in their baskets.

Fishing for Food

Like many tribes in their area, the Hupa fish for salmon. They fish in the Klamath and Trinity rivers. One old method they used to catch fish was the fish weir. This was a fence-like structure in the river that tribal members would maintain.

Hupa fishers and their families rely on the Spring and Fall runs of Chinook Salmon. Acorns were once a main food source, but they became harder to find. The Hupa were not as close to the sea as their neighbors, the Yurok. So, they traded with the Yurok. They exchanged things like baskets for salt, or acorns for canoes.

Hupa Population Today

Historians have estimated the number of Hupa people before Europeans arrived. Some thought there were about 1,000 Hupa in 1770. Others suggested a higher number. In 1910, the population was estimated to be around 500.

According to the 2000 census, the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation had 2,633 residents. In 2013, the Hoopa Valley Tribe had 3,139 enrolled members.

Hupa Reservations

Location of the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation.

Today, many Hupa descendants live on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. Others are part of different tribes. Here are some of the main groups:

• Hoopa Valley Tribe (Hoopa, Humboldt County): This tribe includes Hupa, Tsnungwe, Chimalakwe, Chilula, and Whilkut people. In 2013, their population was 3,139.
• Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad, Humboldt County): This community includes Yurok, Wiyot, Tolowa, Chetco, Hupa, and Karuk people. In 2011, their population was 154.
• Blue Lake Rancheria (Blue Lake, Humboldt County): This group includes Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, and Whilkut people. In 2010, their population was 58.

See also

In Spanish: Hupa para niños