The Nogatl People and Language

Eel River Athapaskan peoples.

Athabaskan languages in California.

The Eel River Athabaskans include the Wailaki, Lassik, Nongatl, and Sinkyone (Sinkine) groups of Native Americans that traditionally live in present-day Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt counties on or near the Eel River and Van Duzen River of northwestern California.

These groups speak dialects of the Wailaki language belonging to the Pacific Coast Athabaskan group of the Athapaskan language family which is prominently represented in Alaska, western Canada, and the southwestern U.S. Other related Athapaskan groups neighboring the Eel River Athapaskans included the Hupa-Whilkut-Chilula to the north, the Mattole on the coast to the west, and the Kato to the south.

The Whilkut, Nongatl and Lassik were essentially annihilated during the Bald Hills War in the 1860s.

Part of Wailaki are registered members of Round Valley Indian Tribes.

Nongatl

The Nongatl (Hupa word meaning ″Athapaskan to the south″) lived traditionally in the territory around the Van Duzen River, from its outlet on the Eel River to its headwaters near Dinsmore, California, and along Yager Creek and Larabee Creek (Elsasser 1978; Golla 2011). They had at least 35 villages.[1]

Wailaki Language (Sinkyone, Lassik, Nongatl, Eel River Athabaskan)

Wailaki is an Athabascan language of California. Though the Wailaki people are culturally most closely associated with the Wintu, their language was most similar to Hupa. Unfortunately there are no native speakers of Wailaki any longer, though Wailaki people still live together with Yuki, Cahto, and Maidu Indians on the Round Valley Rancheria. Three other California Athabaskan languages, Sinkyone, Lassik, and Nongatl, are usually considered dialects of Wailaki; Kato is thought by some linguists to have been a dialect of the same language, by others a closely related but distinct language of its own. Unfortunately the point is moot, as none of these languages is still spoken today.

• http://www.native-languages.org/wailaki.htm

Ethnobotany

The Wailaki weave the roots and leaves of Carex into baskets and use the leaves to weave mats.

Population Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. (See Population of Native California.) Alfred L. Kroeber (1925:883) proposed a 1770 population for the Nongatl, Sinkyone, and Lassik as 2,000, and the population of the Wailaki as 1,000. Sherburne F. Cook (1976) suggested a total of 4,700 for the Nongatl, Sinkyone, Lassik, Wailaki, Mattole, and Kato. Martin A. Baumhoff (1958) estimated the aboriginal populations as 2,325 for the Nongatl, 4,221 for the Sinkyone, 1,411 for the Lassik, and 2,760 for the Wailaki, or a total of 10,717 for the four Eel River Athapaskan groups.

Kroeber estimated the combined population of the Nongatl, Sinkyone, and Lassik in 1910 as 100, and the population of the Wailaki as 200.

Today, some Wailaki people are enrolled in the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of California,[6] the Grindstone Indian Rancheria of Wintun-Wailaki Indians, and the Round Valley Indian Tribes of the Round Valley Reservation (formerly: Covelo Indian Community Yuki, Wailaki, Concow, Little Lake Pomo, Nomlacki, and Pit River peoples).[7]

A Brief History of Humboldt County’s Native Tribes

• Posted on April 14, 2021 by admin

A prior post on Fortuna’s history takes us from the late 19th century, when colonial settlers discovered their “fortune” in Fortuna, to the small but lively town it is today. However, what many people may not realize is that prior to colonial settlement, Fortuna and the greater Humboldt County were home to Native people for many centuries, people who valued the land and resources and treated them with great respect. Here is a brief history of the Native Tribes of Humboldt County, CA.

Who were the Native people who first called Humboldt County home? The Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, Karuk and Tolowa tribes were the most prominent Natives to live here prior to colonial settlement. Even though they were mostly hunter-gatherers, Humboldt County’s ideal moderate climate and abundant natural resources enabled them to make this place a permanent settlement. They lived on wild game, coastal shellfish, salmon and trout from the river, and even acorns, which they ground into meal. They also developed the art of fine basket making and canoe crafting. They lived together sharing a common bond—the environment and their culture. Here are some of their histories.

The Wiyot Tribe

Black and white photograph of Wiyot woman making baskets outsideThe Wiyot Tribe (pronounced WEE-yot) numbered about 2,000 when they first encountered non-Native settlers in the early 1800’s. During the California Gold Rush in 1849, settlers overran the Wiyot’s land and killed many during the Rogue River Indian War in 1853. Sadly, in February 1860, European-American settlers ambushed the Wiyot people, including elders, women and children, in what is known today as the Indian Island Massacre. The violence and genocide of the Humboldt County Natives was not uncommon. Today, the Wiyot Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of Wiyot people whose mission is to “exercise their tribal rights, promote common welfare, establish supreme law of the Tribe, provide for and protect their sovereign right to exercise self-government pursuant to their own laws, protect and develop their lands and resources, and promote and safeguard their aboriginal rights as Wiyot people.”

The Yurok Tribe

The indigenous Yurok tribe (pronounced YUR-aak), was made up of great fishermen, eelers, canoe makers, healers, strong medicine people. basket weavers, singers, dancers, and storytellers. This portion of Northern California along the Redwood Coast offered them abundant resources to not only live, but to thrive. The ocean and inland areas provided mussels, seaweed, acorns, deer, elk, berries, and teas. The giant redwood trees offered material for their homes and canoes (they respected these friendly giants as guardians over their sacred places). They never over-harvested the land, as we see happening so often today. The Yuroks have 5,000 enrolled members today, making up the largest Tribe in California. Their “major initiatives include: the Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act, dam removal, natural resources protection, sustainable economic development enterprises and land acquisition.”

The Hupa Tribe

The name Hupa (pronounced hoo-pah) is the Tribe’s name in the neighboring Yurok language. The Yuroks were their closest traditional ally. Although they called themselves Natinixwe, they are most often referred to as Hupa. Historically, the Hupa people were made up of villages that were informally led by an elder from the wealthiest clan in town. They lived in rectangular cedar-plank houses with pitched roofs and chimneys. They likewise used hollowed-out redwood trees as canoes to travel up and down the Trinity River for fishing and trading. Today, the Hupa Tribe is governed by an elected tribal council who are “dedicated to protecting and promoting the interests of the Hoopa Valley Indians, and cooperating and collaborating with Federal, State, and local Governments.”

Karuk Tribe

Another one of the largest tribes in Northern California, the Karuk (pronounced KAR-uck), lived in villages along the Klamath River (as well as Yurok and Madoc), where they also continued cultural traditions such as hunting, fishing, gathering, basketmaking and ceremonial dances. Interestingly, the Karuk people were the only Tribe in California to grow tobacco plants. Today, their mission is to “promote the general welfare of all Karuk people, to establish equality and justice for our tribe, to restore and preserve Tribal traditions, customs, language and ancestral rights, and to secure to ourselves and our descendants the power to exercise the inherent rights of self governance.”

Whilkut Nation

The Whilkut people were an Athabaskan tribe along the Pacific coast that spoke a dialect similar to the Hupa and Chilula. In fact, the name Whilkut is an adaptation from the Hupa name for the Redwood Creek. Before contact with European settlers, the Whilkut Nation inhabited the area along the Upper Redwood Creek and Mad River, and some settlement in Grouse Creek. The Whilkut history is vague, but what we do know is that the Whilkuts were similar to Hupas, only viewed as poorer, less settled hill people. Following the California Gold Rush, the Whilkut population was greatly reduced due to the pack train routes between Humboldt Bay and Weaverville, which wove right through their territory, and the Bald Hills War of 1858-1864. Whilkut warriors were estimated to total 250-350 at the start of the war. In 1910, only 50 remained in the census and only 20-25 as of 1972. Whilkut descendants have since been incorporated into the Hupa Tribe.

Unfortunate History

Black and white sketch of native american standing on horse talking to European explorer on horsebackUnfortunately, the prospect of gold and other valuable resources shattered the Native people’s homes, families, and dreams as opportunists came and sought their “fortune” in Fortuna and the greater area. Fortune seekers soon discovered that Humboldt County was not a major source of gold, however they found another kind of gold, “red gold,” from the abundant and giant redwood trees. Towering over 300’ tall, these giants were soon felled and milled by lumbermen to build rail links and ships to transport lumber and more settlers. As a result, fishing likewise grew to become a major industry along the Redwood Coast as well as the railroad. Rail connections and the invention of the automobile quickly led to tourism. After decades of ambushes and massacres, the Native Tribes were forced to relocate and combine efforts in order to survive.

Today, many of the Tribes are growing in number and finding success as they strive to reclaim what was once stolen: their land, their rights, their culture and the preservation of Humboldt County’s natural resources.

Fortunately for mankind, their fine example has led to many movements to preserve the famed redwoods and the sacred land on which they grow. Today, thousands of visitors and residents alike enjoy city, county, state and national parks where they can admire what mother nature so lovingly provides. Even so, it is our responsibility to share the history and plight of the indigenous people who once lived here without threat, and also to learn from their honorable example in how they treated this precious land.

We encourage you to come visit this historic stretch along the Pacific Coast for yourself. After booking a room at The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel, you can venture out into Humboldt County for scenic drives, invigorating hikes, and fascinating tours. Be sure to check out the Hupa Tribal Museum in Hupa, CA, where you’ll find the finest collections of Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk artifacts in northern California. There are several more museums and galleries where you can come and appreciate the many contributions of the Natives peoples of Humboldt County.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eel_River_Athapaskan_peoples
• SOCIAL STUDIES FACT CARDS CALIFORNIA INDIANS - SOUTHERN ATHAPASKANS - Lassik, Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Wailaki
• California Athapascan Home Page - Basic Database Searching
• Chestnut, V. K., 1902, Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 7:295-408., page 315
• California Indians and Their Reservations. Archived 2009-03-11 at the Wayback Machine San Diego State University Library and Information Access. 2009 (retrieved 27 July 2009)
• Baumhoff, Martin A. 1958. "California Athabascan Groups". Anthropological Records 16:157-238. University of California, Berkeley.
• Cook, Sherburne F. 1976. The Conflict between the California Indian and White Civilization. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Driver, Harold E. 1937. "Culture Element Distributions: X Northwest California". Anthropological Records 1:297-433. University of California, Berkeley. [Includes data on Nongatl.]
• Elsasser, Albert B. 1976. "Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Lassik, and Wailaki". In California, edited by Robert F. Heizer, pp. 190–204. Handbook of North American Indians, vol. 8, William C. Sturtevant, general editor. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
• Essene, Frank. 1942. "Culture Element Distributions: XXI Round Valley". Anthropological Records 8:197. University of California, Berkeley. [Includes data on Lassik.]
• Kroeber, A. L. 1925. Handbook of the Indians of California. Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin No. 78. Washington, D.C., Volume 1, Page 142-158
• Keter, Thomas S. All Those Things that You’re Liable To Read in the Ethnographic Literature They Ain’t Necessarily So, Paper Presented to The Society for California Archaeology, Modesto, California, March 13, 2009
• https://www.theredwoodriverwalk.com/blog/2021/04/a-brief-history-of-the-native-tribes-of-humboldt-county-ca.htm