The Chinook Native Americans were a non-nomadic tribe who traded with other tribes and Europeans. Fishing was their main livelihood, and family and spirituality were important. Their language evolved to include words from Russian, English, and French. They preferred rituals over war for conflict resolution. The tribe was recognized by the US government in 2001 but lost recognition in 2002. There is still much to learn about their culture.
The Chinook Native Americans are a Native American tribe that resided near the Columbia River and the area now known as the Pacific Northwest of the United States. By the time famed explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, assisted by famed Shoshone Native American guide Sacajawea and his wife, fur trapper Toussaint Charbonneau, first made contact with the Chinooks in 1805, they reportedly remained only 2,000 Chinook Native Americans. due to the heavy impact of disease epidemics. More recently, it has been reported that the number of Chinook Native Americans has further declined dramatically due to high rates of Chinook people marrying outside the tribe.
In the past, the Chinook Native Americans were a decidedly non-nomadic group that had a history of trading with other tribes and eventually with people of European descent. Since they lived near rivers and near the ocean, fishing was a natural means of livelihood. Salmon was a particularly important trading mechanism, as were shells, canoes and slaves.
The concept of family was very important in Chinook Native American society. The community leader was usually a highly respected elder. Spirituality was approached through the pursuit of the spirit. Spirit seeking was a process male and female adolescents went through to connect internally with their guardian spirit to help them cure disease, hunt animals, sing, or dance. There were also potlatches, or ceremonial bestowal of property, and religious ceremonies around the time of year when the salmon rush occurred.
Also, there was a social custom for infants to flatten the head at birth. The Chinook did this by using a board to apply pressure to the head. Flat-headed Chinooks were ranked higher socially than others, so applying pressure to the head to make it appear flatter was considered a socially necessary step by Chinooks.
Chinook The Native American language evolved rapidly. They had early interaction with people of Russian, English and French descent. Thus, the language came to include not only original chinook words, but also trade-relevant words that included borrowed words from Russian, English, and French.
In terms of conflict resolution, the Chinooks typically chose difficult ritualistic participation over warlike conflicts. They felt rituals were a better way to resolve conflicts. Therefore, rituals were considered important.
Some of their villages were called Gitlapshoi, Nisal, Wharhoots and Palux. Their descendants continue to live in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, many Chinook descendants live in Ilwaco, Chinook, and Bay Center in Washington state.
There has been some controversy surrounding its recognition by the US government. The federal government formally recognized the Chinooks as a Native American tribe in 2001. In 2002, the government’s formal recognition was rescinded. As of 2010, there are efforts underway to get the US government to restore Chinook’s status as a recognized tribe.
There are few remaining texts or drawings or artifacts of the Chinook culture. So while there are some things that are known about the Chinook lifestyle, there is still a lot to learn. The Chinook study is ongoing, and academic attempts are underway to find out more about their history, society, and culture.
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