Molala facts for kids
The Molala are an important group of Native American people. They lived in the Oregon Cascades and central Oregon, in the United States. The Molala are part of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. In the 1950s, many members of this group had Molala family roots. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians also includes Molala people. The Siletz Reservation was created in 1855 for several tribes. The Molala were one of the tribes who signed the 1855 Willamette Valley Treaty. This treaty was also known as the Kalapuya Treaty.
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Molala Language
The Molala people spoke the Molala language. This language belonged to the Plateau Penutian language family. For a while, people thought it was a unique language, not related to others. Sadly, the Molala language is no longer spoken today.
Molala History and Way of Life
The Molala people's traditional lands were south of the Columbia River. They moved around to different areas to find food during different seasons. In the winter, they lived near what is now Tygh Valley.
Seasonal Living and Resources
When spring arrived, the Molala moved to a spot along the Deschutes River. This area is close to modern Antelope. Here, they gathered large amounts of fish. This included Sockeye salmon and Columbia River redband trout.
During the summer and autumn, the Molala would go near Wapinitia. They dug for edible plant roots like camas and wapato. They also collected many different kinds of berries from the region.
Encounters and Conflicts
The Molala traditionally lived on the western side of the Cascade Mountains. When they moved into parts of the Willamette Valley, they sometimes faced attacks. Warriors from the Cayuse tribe would raid their settlements. They sometimes took people as slaves.
In the late 1820s, a Molala leader was killed during a Cayuse raid. A man from the Clackamas tribe helped. He acted as a go-between for the Molala and Cayuse warriors. They arranged for a second battle. This fight likely took place at Minto Pass. It lasted for two days. The Molala people considered this battle a victory.
Molala Warriors and Treaties
In 1848, a Molala war chief named Loshuk, also known as Crooked Finger, led a group of 150 warriors. This group included Molala, Klamath, Umpqua, Rogue, Atsugewi, Achomawi, and Modoc fighters. They fought against white settlers in the Willamette Valley. However, they were surprised near Butte Creek. Their village on the Abiqua Creek shore was also attacked. Crooked Finger and his warriors later joined the Cayuse War. They fought as allies with their relatives.
