8. tol-skots-a-tung (M). Former village on the W side of the Trinity S of the mouth of Supply Cr.
tōLtsasdiñ (G). There are evidences of this village on the left bank a little S of the mouth of Supply Cr. It has long been deserted. A prison camp was maintained near this site by the military.
toltsasding (C). At the N side of the mouth of Supply Cr. It was inhabited until about the time of the military occupancy.
The Yurok name for this village is erlern (Kroeber, 1925).
9. ma-til-le-tung (M). In the upper part of Hoopa V. on the E side of the Trinity, 2 mi. from the S end of the valley. It was the largest village but not the head village, tah-ka-mil-ting being the head town, ma-til-le-tung was the big boat ranch of the Hupa and was named for ma-til, dugout canoe.
medildiñ, "place of boats" (G). Just below xowûñkût the river swings back to the W, meets a spur of the mountain, and then swings back to the E, forming a peninsula. Here, cut off from the rest of the valley, is medildiñ (Matilton Ranch). This village, with those to the S, forms the southern division of the Hupa people. This division manifests itself especially in religious matters.
medilding, "canoe place" (C). On the E bank of the Trinity R. about midway between Supply Cr. and Campbell Cr. It is the present settlement of the southern division and is known as the Matilton Ranch. The southern division fish weir is built in the river near here.
mi-til-ti is the name attributed to this village by Powers (1877) and Gibbs gives the name kahtetl, which is its Yurok name (Kroeber, 1925). Gibbs says it had 28 houses whereas Goddard shows 22.
10. ho-wung-kut (M). A village of the southern division, S of ma-til-le-tung and 1 mi. from the S end of the valley on the W bank of the river.
xowûñkût (G). About a mile downstream from Tish-Tang-A-Tang Cr. on the W bank of the river. Goddard shows 14 houses at this village. The site is now called Kentuck Ranch.
howungkut (C). On the W bank about 1 mi. below Campbell Cr.
This place is locally known as Kentuck Ranch. This appears to be the village called wang-kat by Powers (1877). Its Yurok name is pia'getl (Kroeber, 1925).
11. tish-tahng-ah-tung (M). On the E bank of the Trinity R. at the S end of Hoopa V. proper.
djictañadiñ (G). At the S end of the valley where the river emerges from the canyon is a point of land on the E side. This village, known locally as tish-tang-a-tang, was situated on this point. Just above this village Tish-Tang-A-Tang Cr. from the mountains on the E empties into the Trinity.
djishtangading, "promontory place" (C). On the E bank opposite Campbell Cr.
Powers (1877) calls this village Tish-tan-a-tan. According to Merriam's notes the Yurok name for it is Peht-sau-an and this is the name Gibbs uses for it. Gibbs says there are 9 houses here, whereas Goddard shows 13.
12. 'has-lin-ting (M). On the E bank of lower Trinity R. 3 mi. above Hoopa V. proper. This is the uppermost village classed as Hupa.
xaslindiñ (G). About 3 mi. S of the valley proper on the E bank of the river at the mouth of a creek of the same name (Horse Linto Cr.). Nine houses are shown at this village.
haslinding, "waterfall place" (C). On the E bank about 3 mi. above djishtangading and the same distance beyond the limits of the valley. The name is preserved in Horse Linto Cr.
Powers (1877) calls this village hass-lin-tung. According to Kroeber (1925, p. 129), the Yurok name for this village is yati but Waterman (1920, p. 188) gives wo'xtoi. This last would correspond to Gibbs's wauch-ta, which is shown with an approximately correct location except that it is on the wrong side of the river. This village is said to have had six houses.
13. seh-ach-pe-ya (Gibbs' map, pl. 9). This is no doubt a Yurok name, as are all those given by Gibbs, but no one else has recorded it. There are said to have been four houses here.
14. wang-ulle-watl (Gibbs' map, pl. 9). Again this is probably a Yurok name. There are said to have been three houses.
15. wang-ulle-wutle-kauh (Gibbs' map, pl. 9). This is probably a Yurok name. There is said to have been one house here. Kauh is a Yurok suffix meaning "opposite."
Gibbs also gives a town called weitspek on the W side of the Trinity just below the mouth of South Fork. There are said to have been three houses here. Merriam asked about this village and its existence was denied by his informants.
South Fork Hupa Villages (maps 16, 17)
16. hlah-tung (M). On both sides of the mouth of South Fork Trinity on high bench ground.
17. til-tswetch-a-ki (M). On the W side of South Fork at the mouth of Madden Cr. An old important town. About a mile below chilch-tal-tung.
18. chilch-tal-tung (M). On the E side of South Fork 1-1/2 mi. above its mouth.
19. os-tahn-tung (M). On the E side of South Fork 2-1/2 mi. above its mouth.
20. 'hlit-chooch-tung (M). On the E side of South Fork 5 or 6 mi. above its mouth.
21. klo-kum-me (M). On the E side of South Fork about 8 mi. above its mouth (two above 'hlit-chooch-tung).
22. tah-chooch-tung (M). On the E side of South Fork about 10 or 12 mi. above its mouth.
23. ti-koo-et-sil-la-kut (M). On the N side of the main Trinity on a bench opposite the mouth of South Fork, about 1-1/2 mi. below Fountain Ranch.
24. me-meh; me-a-meh (M). On the N side of the main Trinity on the site of the present Fountain Ranch about 1-1/2 mi. above the mouth of South Fork but on the opposite side of the river.
25. hoi-ti sah-ahn-me (M). At Hennessy Ranch, Burnt Ranch (Post Office in 1921).
26. e-nuk-kut-te-nan-tung (M). At McDonnell Ranch, Burnt Ranch. Name means "south slope place."
27. tin-nooch-tung (M). At Cedar Flat. Easternmost village of the tribe, near or adjoining the territory of the Chimariko.
ETHNOGRAPHIC NOTES
The following ethnographic data are taken verbatim from Merriam's notes.
According to the Hoopah, as told me by James Chesbro of Burnt Ranch, the First People are called Kit-tung´-whi or Devil People. They used to fight and kill and eat one another. Later they turned into animals. After the Flood real (Indian) people came.
In early days the Indians used to get drunk from inhaling the fumes of Indian tobacco (Min´-tā itch´-wah) which by deep breathing they would take into the lungs. Their word for drunk is Ho-nāch-wĭhch. The expression for "many people drunk" is Yah, ho-nāch-wĕch.
The word for an old person is Kis´-te-ahn; for an old object, Tah´-ne.
There are two words for good: Chung-whoom for a good or kind person; and Noo-whōm for a good thing or object. A bad person is To choong-kōm, "not good person"; while a thing that is not good is To nooch-kōm, "not good thing."
Chin-tahs, "slow", is said to mean also "heavy"; but the word given me for heavy is Nit-tahs´.
The word Ho´-chit, meaning real or genuine, occurs frequently: Thus, deerskin tanned with the hair on is called Ho´-chit te, te being any blanket or toga. Similarly, the ordinary woman's apron made of pine nuts and braided grass is Ho´-che ke´-ah; the woman's hat, Hō-che kōs´-tahn, or real hat; moccasins, Hoch yā´-che-tahl; the bow, Hō-chĕ tsitch-ting; the stone arrow-point, Hō-chĕ tin-ti; Indian or wild tobacco, Hō-che Min´-tā-itch´-wah; the elkhorn box or purse for valuables Hō´-che kin´-chah.
The Hoopah say that their people did not use the nose-bone or nose-stick, but had a name for it, which is Hun-choo whang-i. They say these were worn by the Indians farther north.
The women tattooed the chin, usually in three broad vertical bands similar to those of the Klamath River tribes. Tattoo marks are called Wil´-tahch´.
Place names: All place names along the rivers were at one time the sites of villages or rancherias. The village always takes the name of the place.
The name for house is Hōn´-tah or Hun´-tow; the ceremonial house, Mā´-min sin-til; the sweathouse, Tah´-'keo; the menstrual lodge, Mintch'; the brush wickiup, Mā´-nah-si; the brush blind or hut for concealing the hunter Kew´-wong wil´-min.
They say that they never burned the dead, but buried them in graves dug exactly knee-deep by measure. The grave was called Hot-yung ho-sin. The body was fastened to a slab of wood of the proper length, and when laid in the grave was covered with the belongings of the dead person and then with earth.
While they do not burn the bodies, they burn clothing and other belongings. But the Chemareko of Hyampom burn their dead.
They believed in an evil spirit or Devil called Kit-tung´ hwoi.
A peculiar custom was practised in extending a certain courtesy to an enemy who wanted to cross the river but had no boat. If a person having a canoe crossed the river, and his personal enemy found the canoe, he would go and sit down near it and await the return of the owner. When the owner came, he would back out into the stream and then push the bow ashore at the nearest point to his enemy, and the enemy would step in and sit down, neither speaking a word. The owner would then paddle across the stream to his own side, and the enemy would jump out and proceed without remark.
There were two kinds of doctors: the real doctor or shaman, sometimes known as "dance doctor," called Kit-ta tow, and the medicine doctor, who never danced, called Kim-mow-chilch-weh.
Gambling Game: the common gambling game, Ke-now-we, was played with a bunch of slender sticks 7 or 8 inches long, called Hol-che-king. One of these, Hung ("ace" or "lucky stick"), has a black band around the middle. The game consists in guessing in which hand the opponent holds the marked stick. There are eleven points or guesses. One stick is given up at each wrong guess.
Small hailstones are called Klew-hahn min-nah from Klew-hahn, "an eel," and min-nah, "eyes," from the resemblance of small hailstones to the white eyes of the eel. Big hailstones are Ke´-lo-ung-hot.
An earthquake is Nin mah-ah tin-nĭch-chwit, meaning "turns over on edge of world."
Money: The unit of value, which we call "money," consisted of the valuable kind of dentalium shells, long specimens of which reached from the base of the finger to the base of the terminal joint. This was called Ho´-che naht-te-ow or "real money." Small or broken dentalium shells, from half an inch to an inch in length, were called Mit-tatch, and were used for beads.
Scalps of the great pileated woodpecker or cock-of-the-woods (Ceophlaeus pileatus), called Kisl-tā-ke-'keo, also passed as money.
Names of mammals and birds.—The Grizzly Bear had two names: Mĕ-chā-e-sahn and Me-kwo ah.
The Mountain Lion or Cougar is called Min´-ning mĭch 'hlā-til-loo, meaning "kills with his face."
They speak of a spotted Panther of large size called Kit-sah´, which has not been seen for a number of years. It used to make a great noise.
They speak also of a Water Panther (mythical) called Ho-tsi´-tow, said to live in holes close to the water of lakes and pools, never in rivers or on land. Its head and shoulders were heavy and covered with long shaggy hair, but the hinder parts were nearly naked.
The Otter is called 'Klōk-e-te-til-le, meaning "he likes salmon."
The Weasel—and this is particularly interesting—is called Klewch-mŭ-hung, meaning "snake's husband"—a term doubtless suggested by its snake-like form and actions.
The Mole is called Min-ni´ ĕ-ting, meaning "eyeless"; the Bat Haht-la nah-mut, "night flyer."
The Porcupine is 'K'yo. Its quills, usually dyed yellow, were used to ornament basket hats; and also to pierce the ears for earrings. When a quill was stuck lightly into the lobe of the ear, it would slowly work its way through.
The common gray Ground Squirrel (Citellus beecheyi) is called Tsĕ 'ket-yahng-a, meaning "rock sitting on."
The Jack Rabbit, oddly enough, is called Nahch-ah-tah 'hits-'hlah-hahn, meaning "dry ground deer."
A Hupa ceremonial gray fox skin.—The skin was cased (opened along the hind legs, the belly not slit lengthwise). The front feet had been cut off but the skin of each leg was slit in six or seven strands or narrow ribbons about three inches long.
The skin had been turned inside out and decorated in places; then turned and left with fur outside. The skin of the hind legs was painted deep red. The tail also had been slit open on the underside and the skin painted with the same red paint, and a tuft of pure white feathers four inches long was sewed to its tip.
The most surprising marking was a double ring or belt band of red and blue painted around the inside of the skin about two inches above the base of the tail (and therefore hidden when the skin was fur-side out). The two bands, each about half an inch wide, were in actual contact all the way around—the anterior one deep red, the posterior deep blue.
The skin itself is of interest as being unmistakably the dark northwest form of the species Urocyon cinereoargenteus. The upper parts are very dark grizzled; the dorsal stripe from neck to tip of tail is almost pure black and the tail is about an inch broad. The flanks, inner-sides of legs, and undersides of tail are fulvous, palest on the belly. The specimen is an adult male.
Sayings about birds.—Dove (Zenaidura). Called Mi-yo. Mi-yo, the Dove, was a great gambler. He always gambled all winter. Once when gambling someone told him that his grandmother was dead. He said there would be plenty of time to cry next summer. So he kept on playing. When summer came he cried for his grandmother. And every summer we hear him crying for his grandmother.
Hummingbird. Called Ko-sos. Ko-sos, the Hummingbird, was a war bird. His bill was like a long needle. With it he pierced his enemies. Once he told another bird to start from one end of the world and he would start from the other. They did this and met in the middle where they danced.
Notes on adjacent tribes.—Yin´-nah´-chin ("South People," Chemar´eko). Extended from Hyampom northerly to Cedar Flat, easterly along main Trinity to Canyon Creek; and northerly between the high mountains that form the divide between French Creek and North Fork Trinity River on the west to Canyon Creek on the east, as far north as Rattlesnake Creek. (Previously learned from the Nor´-rel-muk of Hay Fork, a Wintoon Tribe, that the dividing line on the west between themselves and the Chemareko, called by them Hyembos, lay along Minor Creek.) Language wholly different from Hoopah. The Hoopah say that the presence of this tribe on Trinity River west of Cedar Bar, and on lower New River, is a comparatively recent intrusion.
Klo´-mĕ-tah´-wha ... Salmon River Indians. Ranges south over summit to Grizzly Creek and headwaters New River. Language wholly different.
Ho-ning wil-tatch (meaning "tattooed faces") ... "Yuke" of Covelo region. Round Valley. Also called Devils, Kit-tung-whoi—a name applied to the First People, who finally turned into animals. Language wholly different.
Geography.—There used to be a great fall in Trinity River at a huge rock which stood in the middle of the river at Burnt Ranch. Below the fall was a big pool and eddy, which at the proper season was full of salmon. Everybody came here to catch salmon.
Indians from several tribes met here and feasted and had a "big time." Finally a terrible earth slide came down the side of the canyon and moved the rock away. This destroyed the falls.
This occurred during the boyhood of my informant. He tells me that besides the Hoopah the Indians who used to visit the pool below the falls for salmon were Poliklah from Wetchpek on Klamath River, 'Hwilkut from Redwood Creek, and Chemareko from Hyampom. They used to camp a little below the falls.
Hoopa Geographic Names
| Hoopa V. | Nah-tin-noo |
| Main Trinity R. | Hahn |
| Trinity R. "up and down" | Hahn-nuk-ki |
| Bull Cr. | Mis-tes-se ah-tung ("sliding place") |
| Mill Cr. | Mis-kut e-ta-e-tuk ne-lin-na-kah (correct name) and Tsol-tsah muk-kah (nickname from rock with female mark) |
| Socktish Cr. | Chan-ta-kot ne-lin-na-kah |
| Hostler Cr. | Tsa-mit-tah ("between two rocks") |
| Site of present settlement in Hoopa V. | Toos-kahts-tung-kah |
| Campbell Cr. | Tish-tah-ah-tung mu-mahn-chung ne-lin-nuk-kah |
| Tish Tang A Tang Cr. | Tish-tahn-ah-tung ne-lin-nuk-kah |
| Horse Linto Cr. | Hahs-lin-nak-kak |
| Raccoon Cr. | Sech-ki-uk-kah ("white rock") |
| Willow Cr. | Ho-whah-chal-tung |
| South Fork Trinity | 'Hlal-tung (at junction with main Trinity) |
| South Fork Trinity | Ye-sin-ching-ki (whole river) |
| Madden Cr. | Tilch-wetch uk-kah |
| New R. | Ye-tok ne-lin-nuk-kah |
| Forks of New R. | Tsa-nah-ning-ah-tung |
| Ironside Mt. (east of New R. mouth) | Tsen-nen-kut |
| High Rocky Ridge (northwest of New R. mouth) | Ta-se-tahn-ne-kut |
| Trinity Summit Ridge | Mung-kin-ne-kow-a-kut |
| Berry Summit | Ho-ech-kut mit-ta-kahn |
| Redwood Cr. | Ho-ech-kut ne-lin-nu-kah |