Horatio Hale’s Description of Oregon Tribes

Horatio Hale has been the subject of much attention by me in recent months, in particular his Ethnology and Philology volume 6, United States Exploring Expedition, 1846. His description of the Molala peoples is noted by many scholars as to the original source of the territorial and pre-historic descriptions of the Molala tribe. I have noted previously that Hale spend no time in his research with natives identified as “Molala” and received most of his information from fur traders at Hudson’s Bay Company and from missionary Dr. Whitman. Further research continues to confirm this as well as Hale’s reliance on … Continue reading Horatio Hale’s Description of Oregon Tribes

Ethnography of Oregon Indians 1841: Horatio Hale of the U.S. Exploring Expedition

Horatio Hale’s created what may be one of the earliest ethnographies of the tribes of the Pacific Coast. Remarkable as it is, Hale’s ethnography is both interesting and disappointing. Much of his analysis of the Native peoples of Oregon shows … Continue reading Ethnography of Oregon Indians 1841: Horatio Hale of the U.S. Exploring Expedition

We Would Prefer to Remain in Our Own Lands, The Molalla People

The Molalla tribes, North, Santiam, and Umpqua valley (southern), were traders between the Chinookans to the north, the Klamaths to the south and the Paiutes to the east and the Kalapuyans in the west of their territory.  Their name is a corruption of the Chinook Wawa word “ulali” meaning berry or huckleberry.

molalla map Continue reading “We Would Prefer to Remain in Our Own Lands, The Molalla People”