Hodge, Frederick Webb, Compiler. The Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico. Bureau of American Ethnology, Government Printing Office. 1906.
Chelamela Indians. A small division of the Kalapooian family formerly living on Long Tom Creek, a western tributary of Willamette River, Oregon. They were included in the Dayton treaty of 1855. Nothing is known of their customs, and they are now extinct.
Chehalis Indians. Chehalis actually refers to two distinct peoples. One group of tribes residing on the Chehalis River in Washington, another tribe, a sub-tribe of the Cowichan First Nation residing along the Harrison River in British Columbia. We provide both below.
Chaushila Indians. A Yokuts (Mariposan) tribe in central California, north of Fresno River, probably on lower Chowchilla River, in the plains and lowest foothills, their neighbors on the north being of Moquelumnan stock. As a tribe they are now extinct. They are confused with, but are distinct from, the Chowchilla, under which name the synonymy of both is given.
Chaunis Temoatan (Chaun-istem-oatan, ‘salt-making village’. Topker). A country situated, in 1586, indefinitely westward from the English settlement on Roanoke Island, N. C. Ralph Lane, from misinterpreted Indian information, believed it to have been a copper-producing region, and that it was situated “vp that riuer Moratoc [Roanoke],” 20 days journey overland from the Mangoaks (Nottoway), who then dwelt about 160 m. above the Roanoke settlement. Lane’s version of the Indian report shows that the Indians referred to salt making rather than copper mining. By Bozman, Bancroft, and others, this Indian report, as given by Lane, has been regarded as a fiction … Read more
Chaui Indians (‘in the middle.’ – Grinnell). A tribe of the Pawnee confederacy, spoken of by the French as Grand Pawnee. In the positions maintained by the 4 tribes of the Pawnee confederacy the villages of the Chaui were always between those of the Pitahauerat on the east and Kitkehahki on the west. In the council of the confederacy the Chaui held a prominent place, their head chiefs outranking all others, and being accepted as representative of the Pawnee, although without power to dominate all the tribes. Little that is distinctive is known of this tribe. In 1833 they ceded … Read more
Chatot Indian Tribe History
Chastacosta Indians (Shista kwŭsta, their name for themselves, meaning unknown). A group of Athapascan villages formerly situated along Rogue River, Oregon, mostly on its north bank from its junction with Illinois River nearly to the mouth of Applegate Creek. The Tututunne, who did not differ from them in customs or language, were to the west of them; the Coquille, differing slightly in language, were north of them; and the Gallice (Tattushtuntude), with the same customs but a quite different dialect, to the east. The Takilma, an independent stock, were their south neighbors, living on the south bank of Rogue River … Read more
Chasta Tribe. A tribe, probably Athapascan, residing on Siletz Reservation, Oregon, in 1867, with the Skoton and Umpqua, of which latter they were then said to have formed a part. The Chasta, Skoton, and Umpqua were distinct tribes which concluded a treaty Nov. 18, 1854. The Chasta were divided into the Kwilsieton and Nahelta, both residing on Rogue River. J. O. Dorsey thought these may have been identical with Kushetunne and Nakatkhetunne of the Tututunne. Kane, in 1859, located them near Umpqua River. In 1867 the Chasta, the Scoton, and the Umpqua together, at Siletz agency, numbered 49 males and … Read more
Chaskpe Indians. A tribe or people mentioned by La Salle in 1683 as having come in company with the Shawnee and Ouabano at his solicitation to Ft. St. Louis, Illinois
Chaquantie Indians. A tribe in 1700, described by Bienville, on Indians information, as living on Red River of Louisiana…
Chaouacha Indians. A small tribe living, when first known, on the east bank of the Mississippi, a short distance below the present New Orleans, Louisiana. Although they had aided the French in their Indian wars, they fell under suspicion after the Natchez war, and in consequence were attacked and a number of the people massacred, in 1730, by Negro slaves acting under orders from the French governor, who had in view the double purpose of weakening the power of the Indians and of over coming any projected combination between them and the Negroes. Subsequently they seem to have removed to … Read more
Chakchiuma Indians (Choctaw: saktchi ‘crawfish,’ huma ‘red,’ probably referring to a clan totem). A tribe speaking a Choctaw-Chickasaw dialect, formerly living on Yazoo river, Mississippi, and, according to Iberville between the Taposa below them and the Outapo or Ibitoupa above, in 1699. At that time they were probably the most populous of the Yazoo tribes, and spoke the Chickasaw language. They were an important tribe at the time of De Soto’s expedition (1540-41) and lived in a walled town. During the 18th century they were included in the Chickasaw confederacy, and had the reputation of being warlike. Adair mentions a … Read more
Cayuse Indians. A Waiilatpuan tribe formerly occupying the territory about the heads of Walla Walla, Umatilla, and Grande Ronde Rivers and from the Blue mountains to Deschutes River in Washington and Oregon. The tribe has always been closely associated with the neighboring Nez Percé and Walla Walla, and was regarded by the early explorers and writers as belonging to the same stock. So far as the available evidence goes, however, they must be considered linguistically independent. The Cayuse have always been noted for their bravery, and owing largely to their constant struggles with the Snake and other tribes, have been … Read more
Cayuga Indians (Kwĕñio’gwĕb;, the place where locusts were taken out–Hewitt). A tribe of the Iroquoian confederation, formerly occupying the shores of Cayuga Lake, New York. Its local council was composed of 4 clan phratries, and this form became the pattern, tradition says; of that of the confederation of the Five Nations of the Iroquois, in which the Cayuga had 10 delegates. In 1660 they were estimated to number 1,500 and in 1778, 1,100. At the beginning of the American Revolution a large part of the tribe removed to Canada and never returned, while the rest were scattered among the other … Read more
Caughnawaga Indians (Gă-hnă-wă-‘ge, ‘at the rapids’ ). Caughnawaga is an Iroquois settlement on the Sault St Louis on St Lawrence River, Quebec. The majority of the emigrants came from the Oneida and Mohawk, and the Mohawk tongue, somewhat modified, became the speech of the whole body of this village. The Iroquois made several unsuccessful efforts to induce the converts to return to the confederacy, and finally renounced them in 1684, from which time Caughnawaga became an important auxiliary of the French in their wars with the English and the Iroquois.
Cathlamet Indians. A Chinookan tribe formerly residing on the south bank of Columbia River near its mouth, in Oregon. They adjoined the Clatsop and claimed the territory from Tongue point to the neighborhood of Puget Island. In 1806 Lewis and Clark estimated their number at 300. In 1849 Lane reported 58 still living, but they are now extinct. They seem to have had but one village, also known as Cathlamet. As a dialect, Cathlamet was spoken by a number of Chinookan tribes on both sides of the Columbia, extending up the river as far as Rainier. It is regarded as … Read more
Cathlacumup Indians. A Chinookan tribe formerly living on the west bank of the lower mouth of Willamette River, near the Columbia, claiming as their territory the bank of the latter stream from this point to Deer Island, Oreg. Lewis and Clark estimated their number at 450 in 1806. They are mentioned in 1850 by Lane as being associated with the Namoit and Katlaminimim.
Cathlacomatup Indians. A Chinookan tribe residing in 1806, according to Lewis and Clark , on the south side of Sauvies Island, in the present Multnomah County, Oregon, on a slough of Willamette River. Their estimated number was 170.
Catawba Indians, Catawba Nation. The most important of the eastern Siouan tribes. It is said that Lynche creek, South Carolina east of the Catawba territory, was anciently known as Kadapau
Catawba Indian Chiefs and Leaders