North Pacific Coast Indian Genealogy Forum
This message board covers a geographic area extending roughly from Alaska in the north to California in the south; and from the Pacific Ocean to the upper reaches of the Cascade Mountain range in the east
To see a map that shows this area, consult Paula Giese's North American Pre-Contact Native Culture Areas GIS map. Paula's map shows the area for our discussion as the "Northwest Coast" culture area.
This culture area includes six linguistic families:
Tlingit Linguistic Family
Wakashan Linguistic Family
Salishan Linguistic Family
Chinook Linguistic Family
Athabascan Linguistic Family
Oregon Penutian Linguistic Family
Consideration of these tribes from the standpoint of language is very useful to the genealogist. It helps us understand how tribes were, later, grouped on reservations. It tells us what their pre-contact (with Europeans) migrations might have been. It gives insight to the reasons certain tribes formed certain alliances during different historical periods. It also presents many mysteries concerning the dissemination or diaspora of the Indian Nations throughout history.
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Remember, please, that the tribe lists and geographic areas described are approximate and the delineations are soft. If your people are from an area nearby or are not listed but known to be in the area, please don't hesitate to post your message.
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Within the Tlingit Linguistic Family of the Northwest Coast culture area are the following tribes:
Yakutat
Gonaho
Chilkat
Auk
Taku
Huna
Sitka
Sumdum
Killisnoo (Hutsnuwu)
Stikine
Kake
Kuiu
Henya
Hihl
Slawak
Sanya
Tongas
Haida
Kaigani
Within the Wakashan Linguistic Family of the Northwest Coast culture area are the following tribes:
Northern Kwakiutl
Katamat
Kitiape
China Hat
Bella Bella
Southern Kwakuiutl
Wikeno
Somehulitk
Nohuntsitk
Koskimo
Nawiti
Nimpkish
Nootka
Makah
Ozette
Within the Salishan Linguistic Family of the Northwest Coast culture area are the following tribes:
Bella Coola
Comox
Seechelt
Puntlatch
Sauamish
Nanaimo
Mainland Cowichan (Staio)
Island cowichan (Halkomelem)
Semiahmoo
Songish
Lummi
Nooksack
Samish
Skagit
Sinamish
Clallam
Queets, Twana
Quinault
Humptulips
Wynoochee
Satsop
Copalis
Lower Chehalis
Upper Chehalis
Cowlitz
Nisqually
Squaxon
Puyallup
Muckleshoot
Duwamish
Snoqualmie
Skyamish
Suquamish
Snohomish
Swinomish
Quileute
Chimakum
Hoh
Tillamook
Nestucca
Siletz
Within the Chinook Linguistic Family of the Northwest Coast culture area are the following tribes:
Plateau Athabascan
Kwalhioqua
Clatskanie
Chinook
Clatsop
Watlala
Wishram
Wasco
Within the Athabascan Linguistic Family of the Northwest Coast culture area are the following tribes:
Plateau Athabascan
Kwalhioqua
Clatskanie
Umpqua
Upper Coquille
Tututni
Taltusktuntude
Chastacosta
Dakubetede
Within the Oregon Penutian Linguistic Family of the Northwest Coast culture area are the following tribes:
Atfalati
Yamel
Lakmiut
Chepenafa
Mary's River
Santiam
Chelamela
Calapooya
Yoncalla
Yaquina
Alsea
Siuslaw
Kuitsh
Hanis (Coos)
Miluk
Takelma
Latgawa
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Reference Books which can be consulted for details on these tribes include:
Handbook of American Indians north of Mexico. Frederick Hodge. New York, Greenwood Press [1969]2 v. illus. 27 cm.
The Gale encyclopedia of Native American tribes / edited by Sharon Malinowski ... [et al.].Detroit : Gale, c1998.4 v.
The Indian tribes of North America / John R. Swanton.Baltimore, MD : Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003.726 p. ; 23 cm
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How to Write and Manage a Genealogical Query
When using Message Boards and Mailing Lists online, it's important to understand what your readers need to know details about your research problem or question (query). Following are instructions for writing queries. If you follow these instructions, you will have greater and more appropriate responses to your queries.
REMEMBER: You will be consulting people who are experts in their fields and very busy. An incomplete or improperly written query will probably garner a "sorry, no information" answer from most other experts. However, I am dedicated to teaching genealogy as well as answering questions in my area of interest, so, do, please, keep a copy of this instruction and consult it when you make your next request for information.
REMEMBER: In writing your query, answer the following questions, so far as you are able. If the information you have is uncertain, follow it with a question mark (?).
If you have no information about a detail, place a blank area in the query ( _______ ).
Abbreviate birth (b), marriage (m) and death (d). If you have to list more than one marriage write them (m1), (m2), etc.
-YOUR QUERY SHOULD ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS-
1. Who is the person you want to find information about (if a female, give her maiden name, or, if none is known, explain)?
2. When and where was this person born (b), where and when did he die (d), where and when did he marry (m)?
3. Who did this person marry? Where did this person marry?
4. Who were the children that resulted from the marriage (b, d, m) and what were the names of their spouses (no further information needed for the children's spouses unless there is some pertinent reason to add more)?
5. Who were the parents (b,d,m) of the person on whom you are focusing (question #1)? Where and when did they live and die, etc?
6. Who were the siblings (brothers and sisters) (b,d,m) of the person on whom you are focusing (question #1)? Where and when did they live and die, etc?
7. With what tribe(s) do you think your focus person was associated?
8. Why do you think your focus person was Indian (physical characteristics, family story, Indian name, proximity to tribes, etc.)?
-TO PREPARE AND USE YOUR QUERY-
Write your query in a word processor (answering ALL of the questions), select and copy it onto your clip board; then go out on the web and look for places to deposit it. As long as you don't use your copy command on anything else, it will remain in memory.
All you need to do to insert it is to click on the place where you want it to go, and click on "paste". Simple, huh?
BE SURE TO PLACE YOUR SURNAME(S) AND PLACENAMES IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE QUERY SO READERS CAN SORT THEM OUT QUICKLY.
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"GENEALOGY WITHOUT PROOF IS MYTHOLOGY"
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