Chehalis Tribe

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.

Chehalis of Washington

A collective name for several Salishan tribes on Chehalis River and its affluents, and on Grays Harbor, Washington. Gibbs states that it belongs strictly to a village at the entrance of Grays Harbor, and signifies ‘sand.’ There were five principal villages on the river and seven on the north and eight on the south side of the bay; there were also a few villages on the North end of Shoalwater Bay. By many writers they are divided into Upper Chehalis or Kwaiailk, dwelling above Satsop River and the Lower Chehalis from that point down

In 1806 Lewis and Clark assigned to them a population of 700 in 38 lodges. In 1904 there were 147 Chehalis and 21 Humptulips under the Pullyallup school superintendent, Washington.

Chehalis Villages

The following people, settlements, villages, and towns are mentioned, some of which are single villages, while others probably embraced a people living in several settlements:

• Chikilsilkh
  A Lower Chehalis settlement at Pt. Ledbetter, the north end of the land tongue at Shoalwater Bay, Washington. Gibbs, Chinook Vocabulary, B.A.E., 23.
• Cloquallum
  A former subdivision and village on the Upper Chehalis on a river of the same name in Washington. Also identified as Clickquamish by Ford in the Indian Affairs Report, 341, of 1857 (called Lower Chehalis, but probably the same as above; Kla-kwul-lum and Luqlu’Iem by Boas in 1904.
• Hooshkal (Hoosh-kal)
  A former Chehalis village on the north shore of Grays Harbor, Washington. Gibbs in his Manuscript, No. 248, B.A.E.
• Hoquiam
  A Chehalis village on a creek of the same name, north shore of Grays Harbor, Washington. Also identified as Ho-ki-um by Ross in the Indian Affairs Report, 18, in 1870; Hokwaimits by Gibbs in his Manuscript, No. 248, B.A.E. (Chehalis name); Hoquiam in the Land Office Map of Washington, 1891; Hoquium by Gibbs in his Manuscript, No. 248, B.A.E.
• Humptulips
  Humptulips Indians (said to mean ‘chilly region’). A body of Chehalis on a river of the same name emptying into Chehalis river, Washington. They are under the supervision of the Puyallup school superintendent and numbered 21 in 1904.
• Kishkallen
  A former Chehalis village on the north shore of Grays Harbor, Washington. Gibbs in his Manuscript, No. 248, B.A.E.
• Klimmim
  A former Chehalis village on the north shore of Grays Harbor, Washington. Klimmím by Gibbs in his Manuscript, No. 248, B.A.E.; Weh-ta-mich by Gibbs in his Manuscript, No. 248, B.A.E.
• Klumaitumsh
  Given by Gibbs (MS., B.A.E., ca. 1858) as the Chehalis name for an ancient village on the south side of Grays Harbor, Washington, but according to Boas it is an island near the entrance to Grays Harbor. Lew and Clark, in 1805, spoke of it as a tribe of almost 200 people in 12 houses. Also identified as Clamochtomichs.— Lewis and Clark, Exped., 11, 119, 1814; Clamoctomichs.— Ibid., 474; Clamoctomicks.— Domenech, Deserts, I, 441, 1860; Cla-moc-tomick’s.— Orig. Jour. Lewis and Clark, vi, 118, 1905; Cla-moi-to-micks,— Ibid., 70; Clamoitonnish.— Lewis and Clark, Reize, II, 350, 1817; LEmā´itEme.—Boas, inf’n, 1905.
• Koalekt (Koā´lEqt)
  A Chehalis village at the headwaters of a west tributary of Harrison River, in southwest British Columbia. Boas, MS., B.A.E., 1891.
• Nickomin
  A former Chehalis town on North River, which flows into Shoalwater Bay, Washington. Also identified as Necomanchee.— Swan, N. W. Coast, 211, 1857; NeExumE´nte.— Boas, inf’n, 1905, (correct native form).
• Nooachuhummilh (Noo-ach-hum-milh)
  A former Chehalis village north of Grays Harbor, on the coast of Washington.— Gibbs, MS. no. 248, B. A. E.
• Noohooultch (Noo-hoo-ultch)
  The Chehalis name of an ancient village on the south side of Grays Harbor, Washington.— Gibbs, MS. no. 248, B. A. E.
• Nookalthu (Noo-kált-hu)
  The site of a former Chehalis village north of Grays Harbor, Washington.— Gibbs, MS. no. 248, B. A. E.
• Noosiatsks (Noo-si-átsks)
  The Chehalis name of an ancient village on the south side of Grays Harbor, Washington.— Gibbs, MS. no. 248 B. A. E.
• Nooskoh (Noos-k6h)
  The Chehalis name of a former village on a creek opposite Whishkah River, Washington.— Gibbs, MS. no. 248, B. A. E.
• Satsop
  The Satsop subdivision speak a dialect distinct from the others. A Salish division on Satsop River, emptying into Chehalis River, Washington. Usually classed under the collective term Lower Chehalis. Sachap.— Wilkes, U. S. Expl. Exped., v, 182, 1845; Satcap. — Ross in Ind. Aff. Rep., 18, 1870; Satchap.— Swan, N. W. Coast, 309, 1857; Sat-sa-pish.— Eells, letter of Feb. 1886; Satsop.— Ford in Ind. Aff. Rep. 1857, 341, 1858.
• Wenatchi (Yakima: winätshi, ‘river issuing from a canyon,’ referring to Wenatchee River.)
  A Salish division, probably a band of the Pisquows, formerly on Wenatchee River, a tributary of the Columbia in Washington. In 1850 there were said to have been 50 on Yakima Reservation, but 66 were enumerated in the Report on Indian Affairs for 1910 as under the Colville agency. It is uncertain whether these bodies belonged to one original band. Also identified as Lower Chehalis— Common name; Wanoolchie.— Ford in Ind. Aff. Rep. 1857, 341, 1858; Waratcha.— Ind. Aff. Rep., 219, 1861; Waratka.— Ibid., 1864, 499, 1865; Waratkass.— Ibid. 1863, 512, 1864; Wenatcha.— Lansdale, Ibid., 1859, 412, 1860; Wenatchi.—Ind. Aff. Rep., 704, 1901; Wenatshapam.— U.S. Stat. at Large, XII, 951; Wenatshapan.— Ind. Aff. Rep. 1856, 266, 1857; Wenatshepum.— Ibid., 110, 1874; Winä´tshipûm.— Mooney in 14th Rep. B. A. E., 736, 1896 (given as a synonym of Pisquows); Wynoochee.— Gibbs in Pac. R. R. Rep., I, 428, 1855; Wy-noot-che.— Ross in Ind. Aff. Rep., 18, 1870.
• Whiskah
  A band of Salish formerly living on a river of the same name, a north branch of the Chehalis in west Washington. They are little known except under the comprehensive term “Lower Chehalis.” Also identified as Whishkah.— Gibbs in Cont. N. A. Ethnol., 1, 171, 1877; Whis-kah.— Ross in Ind. Aff. Rep., 18, 1870.

Chehalis of British Columbia

Chehalis Indians, Chehalis First Nation: A Cowichan tribe living along the middle course of Harrison River, British Columbia. Chehalis and Koalekt were their villages. Population (of tribe or village) 112 in 1902.