All tribal nations have significant dates and places that their peoples recognize on their calendars. These dates can be the signing of treaties, the creation of reservations, or the anniversary of some event. For federal actions, like treaties, signing of executive orders and enacting of Congressional Acts, these events cause major changes to the tribal … [Read more…]
The tribes of the western Oregon were quite numerous, previous to contact with traders and explorers to the North West Coast. Outsiders, brought numerous diseases which were the greatest factor in eliminating their large populations. The first diseases were likely small pox and influenza. Lewis and Clark’s expedition (1805-1806) encountered victims of small pox in … [Read more…]
After the tribes were removed to the reservations and the treaties were ratified payments began to the chiefs. The tribal chiefs would get the annual payment to their tribes and would be responsible for doling out the money and supplies to their people. For some 20 years this was the pattern for leadership at the … [Read more…]
During my Molalla presentation in class this week, I looked closely at the original Grand Ronde map. I noticed for the first time that there are three Umpqua tribes in the first reservation census, Umpqua, Molalla (southern Molalla) and Calapooia (Yoncalla) likely those who came onto the reservation together from the Umpqua Reservations. We can … [Read more…]
This is a letter from Beel Fern, son of Chief Halo, who was of the Yoncalla Kalapuyans, a tribe of the Umpqua Valley. He may have as well been of the upper Umpqua tribe due to intermarriage between tribes that was common in Oregon. It was common on the reservation to simplify tribal ancestry to … [Read more…]