Chetco people

Chetco
chit-dee-ni, chit-dee-ne, Chit-dv-ne
Members of the Chectco tribe in 1856
Regions with significant populations
lower Chetco River and Winchuck River in Curry County, Oregon

The Chetco (Chetco: chit-dee-ni, chit-dee-ne or Chit-dv-ne' [1]) are a tribe of Native Americans who originally lived along the lower Chetco River and Winchuck River in Curry County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The name Chetco comes from the word meaning "close to the mouth of the Chetco River" in their own language, which is part of the Athapascan languages.[2] Although they were once one of the largest tribes on the Pacific coast of Oregon, "the last known full-blooded Chetco" living on the Chetco River (Lucy Dick) died in 1940.

Many of Lucy Dick’s and Amelia Van Pelt’s (Chetco/Tututni) descendants continue to live in the Chetco region, and are members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.[3] the Chetco people formerly lived in 9 associated villages, but after the Rogue River Wars in 1856, were removed to the Siletz Reservation and became part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, living in one large village there. All of the Oregon Coast Tribes were removed to and confederated on the Siletz Reservation. Some Chetco descendants are enrolled in other federally recognized tribes, Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, located in Humboldt County, California.[4]

  1. ^ "Siletz Talking Dictionary". Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference hodge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference culture was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria." Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine Alliance for California Traditional Arts. 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2012.