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TheUmpqua people[2] are an umbrella group of several distinct tribal entities ofNative Americans of theUmpqua Basin in present-day south centralOregon in theUnited States. The area south of Roseburg is now known as the Umpqua Valley.
At least four tribal groups have historically lived in the Umpqua River Basin: the Southern Molalla, the Lower Umpqua tribe, the Upper Umpqua tribe, and the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Native Americans.[3] Before European settlement in the region, the tribes spoke several different languages, includingSiuslaw (Lower Umpqua),Yoncalla (Southern Kalapuya),Upper Umpqua,Takelma, and theMolalla language.
Archaeological evidence indicates that the Native American settlement in the Umpqua region began at least 8,000 years before the arrival of European settlers.[3] The name "Umpqua" likely derives from a Tolowa word for "a place along the river."[4] Other theories report that "Umpqua" means "thundering water," "dancing water" or "bring across the river."[5]
TheLower Umpqua (Kuitsh) tribe spoke the Lower Umpqua (Kuitsh/Quuiič) dialect of theSiuslaw language. Their self-designation wasKuitsh,Quuiič orQuuiich (″The Southern People″, probably derived from the wordsqiiuu, ″south″, andhiich, ″people″).[6] Prior to European settlement, the Lower Umpqua (Kuitsh) lived on the coast fromSiltcoos River south toTenmile Creek.[7]
Today, theLower Umpqua (Kuitsh) people are represented by the following tribes:
TheUpper Umpqua people lived mostly on theSouth Umpqua River, near presentRoseburg, Oregon and the Umpqua River upstream of the head of tide (present-dayScottsburg, Oregon). Their self-designation wasEtnemitane,Tl'uu-dv-nee-yu (literally "prairie people") or simplyDv-nee-yu / Dv-ne ("people").[8] The now-extinctUpper Umpqua language formed with three other closely related languages the ″Oregon Athabaskan cluster″ of thePacific Coast Athabaskan languages.
By neighboring Athapascan-speaking peoples they were known as ″Umpqua River People″—in the original languages:
Today, theUpper Umpqua people are represented by the following tribes:
Originally a band of theTakelma people along theSouth Umpqua River,Myrtle Creek, andCow Creek, the Cow Creek people were calledCow Creek Takelma, orThe Cow Creek Band.
Today, theCow Creek Band of Upper Umpqua are represented by the following tribes:
TheCow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Native Americans is one of nine federally recognized indigenous Tribal Governments in the State of Oregon.[9] They were the first tribes in the Oregon Territory to sign a treaty with the US government, on 19 September 1853.[3] As a result of the treaty, the Cow Creek Tribe became a landless tribe, ceding more than 800 square miles of Southwestern Oregon to the United States.[9] The Cow Creek Tribe never received the reservation their treaty promised, but even without a reservation, the people remained in their homelands.[9]
TheMolala were living along theDeschutes River. They later moved to the headwaters of theUmpqua River andRogue River.
Today, theMolalla people are represented by the following tribes:
The Native Americans who lived in the Umpqua region prior to European settlement
were highly dependent on the annual cycle of nature. Their cultures were rich and complex, with distinct rituals, rites and responsibilities. In winter, the people lived in cedarplank houses in permanent villages. Here they made baskets, clothing, tools, and weapons, and recounted a wide variety of stories including creation stories and tales of a magical time when animals and humans shared the same language. In the spring, summer, and fall, they went to seasonal camps to take advantage of seasonally-abundant food resources.[3]
The first known contact with whites was with fur trappers in the late 1700s. In the 1820s, theHudson's Bay Company began intensive trapping of beavers and regular trade with the Native Americans in the Umpqua Basin.
Relations with fur trappers were generally good, although there were occasional skirmishes. An especially notorious conflict occurred in 1828 between the Lower Umpqua Indians and a party of fur traders led byJedediah Smith. Due perhaps to inappropriate advances of Smith's men toward Indian women, or due perhaps to the alleged theft of an ax by a young Native American, a Lower Umpqua man was killed by Smith's party, for which the Lower Umpquas retaliated and killed 15 of the 19 of Smith's men.[3]
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