Tolowa

This article is about the ethnic group. For their language, see Tolowa language.
Tolowa
Total population
910 [1]
Regions with significant populations
United States United States
(California California, Oregon Oregon)
Languages
English, formerly Tolowa and Siletz Dee-ni
Religion
Traditional tribal religion and mainstream Christianity,
previously Indian Shaker religion[2]
Related ethnic groups
Chetco and Tututni[2]

The Tolowa people or Taa-laa-wa Dee-ni’ are a Native American people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethno-linguistic group. Two rancherías (Smith River and Elk Valley) still reside in their traditional territory in northwestern California. Those removed to the Siletz Reservation in Oregon are located there.

Related to current locations, Tolowa people are members of several federally recognized tribes: Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation (Tolowa, Chetco, Yurok),[3] Elk Valley Rancheria (Tolowa and Yurok), Confederated Tribes of Siletz (more than 27 native tribes and bands, speaking 10 distinct languages, including Athapascans speaking groups of SW Oregon, like Upper Umpqua, Coquille, Tututni, Chetco, Tolowa, Galice and Applegate River people), Trinidad Rancheria (Chetco, Hupa, Karuk, Tolowa, Wiyot, and Yurok),[4] Big Lagoon Rancheria (Yurok and Tolowa), Blue Lake Rancheria (Wiyot, Yurok, and Tolowa) as well as the unrecognized Tolowa Nation.[5]

  1. ^ [1] American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the United States and Puerto Rico 2010 (retrieved 4 November 2019)
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Pritzker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ The Smith River Rancheria. (retrieved 8 April 2009)
  4. ^ "Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria", Alliance for California Traditional Arts. 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  5. ^ California Indians and Their Reservations. San Diego State University Library and Information Access. 2009 (retrieved 8 April 2009)