The Hupa tribe, also known as Hoopa or Ntinixwe, live on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in California. The reservation is the largest in the state and includes rivers, wetlands, and part of the Trinity River. The tribe has its own government, businesses, and media outlets, and is working to preserve its language and culture. The traditional diet included salmon and acorns, and the people lived in cedar plank houses. Weddings were negotiated by men and women had domestic responsibilities.
The Hupa tribe is a group of Native Americans living in northwestern California. Also called Hoopa, Hupa, or Ntinixwe, they live on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, which has a population of over 2,600. The reservation is just over 141 square miles (365 square km) and was established by the United States government in 1864.
The Hupa Tribe Reservation is the largest Native American reservation in California. Located in the northeastern corner of Humboldt County, it is 50 miles (80.5 km) from the Pacific Ocean. The preserve includes 133 miles (214 km) of rivers and streams, 3,200 acres (1,294 hectares) of wetlands and part of the Trinity River.
Eight elected tribal council members and a tribal president govern the Hupa tribe today. The Hupa tribe has the only Native American owned and operated radio station, KIDE 91.3 FM, and one newspaper, the Two Rivers Tribune. In addition to other businesses, the Hupas have a lumber company, their own chamber of commerce, and the Lucky Bear Casino.
The people called themselves Natinook-wa, which translates to “people of the place where the path returns.” Officially known as the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the people traditionally spoke a language of the Athabaskan family. Lessons in the traditional language are offered weekly by reservation. The tribe is also working to preserve other aspects of its heritage, including the traditional flower dance.
The culture was centered around the bi-annual king salmon runs on the Trinity River. Acorns were another staple of the traditional diet. Acorns were prepared by drying, mashing and boiling to make a pulp. Sometimes the acorns were made into a type of bread that was baked on a hot stone.
There were 13 villages within 7 miles (about 11 km) up the river before the Hupa tribe made contact with Europeans. The people lived in houses called xontas, made of cedar planks. Women and children slept in the xontas, and men slept in nearby huts. Women gave birth in a shelter called a minch, and women and girls went to the minch when they were menstruating.
Traditionally, weddings were held in the summer. The marriage was negotiated by two men, one representing the bride’s family and one representing the groom’s family. Once an agreement was reached, the bride’s family was given a cash payment. In most cases, the marriages were between men and women from different villages. Women were responsible for gathering food, caring for children, and cooking, while men were responsible for hunting and fishing.
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