The Umatilla Tribe, along with the Cayuse and Walla Walla, live on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon. They historically shared the Columbia River Plateau and had a nomadic lifestyle. The tribe had extensive families, with men hunting and women cooking. Drumming and singing are integral to their culture. Today, they use the longhouse for ceremonies and celebrations, and there is a resurgence of interest in teaching the traditional language.
The Umatilla Tribe is one of three Native American tribes, along with the Cayuse and Walla Walla, who live on the Umatilla Indiana Reservation in the US state of Oregon. The traditional homeland of the Umatilla includes the Columbia River Plateau of northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. The tribes arrived on the reservation in 1855 under the provisions of a treaty with the United States government. In 1949, Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla formed a single tribal government. Today there are more than 2,800 confederate tribesmen on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
The Umatilla Tribe referred to the Columbia as the Big River and historically shared it with many other indigenous groups of people, including those with whom they now form confederate tribes. The three tribes shared the Sahaptin language, although there were distinct dialects. The Umatilla Tribe lived on both sides of the Big River and had family, trade, and economic ties with other tribes along the waterway.
Only within the first decade of the 21st century have the people of the Umatilla tribe moved away from the nomadic lifestyle which included traveling to hunting and fishing camps in an annual cycle. The traditional foods of the Umatilla tribe were salmon, root crops and deer. Living in longhouses, the tribe’s tent-like shelter could be up to 80 feet (24 m) long. Horses were introduced to the tribe in the 1700s and the people had large herds which were used to make their constant travel easier.
Families of the Umatilla tribe were extensive and often had aunts, grandparents and cousins who all lived in one house or group. The men were primarily responsible for hunting, making weapons and tools, and caring for the horses. Women were responsible for cooking, picking berries, and making clothes. Women also had the responsibility of setting up and breaking down the longhouses as people moved.
Drumming and singing are integral to the religious and ceremonial aspects of the culture of the Umatilla tribe. Pearls and porcupine quills were used in decorations. The history of the tribe has been passed down from generation to generation in song or story. Quite often a particular band’s grandmother was placed in charge of storytelling responsibility.
Today, the Umatilla tribe uses the longhouse exclusively for ceremonies and celebrations. The traditional language has mostly been lost, although there is a resurgence of interest in teaching it to young people. The traditional extended family is not common on the reservation, and most family units have a nuclear structure.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
