Siletz (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Siletz people are a Native American tribe
from Oregon
and an Indigenous people of the Northwest Plateau. Today they are enrolled in the federally recognized Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon.
Traditionally, they were Salishan
-speaking group, who inhabited an area along the central coast of Oregon
near the Siletz River
until the middle of the 19th century. The tribe was the southernmost group of the larger Coast Salish
culture, which was centered near the Strait of Georgia
and Puget Sound
in British Columbia
and Washington.
The Siletz were closely related in language and culture to the Tillamook tribe to their north along the Oregon Coast
. During or after the Rogue River Wars
of 1855-1856, members of the tribe were moved to the Coast Indian Reservation
, later called the Siletz Reservation
, which was home to over 20 other tribes.
was a Salishan language that is now extinct.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
from Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and an Indigenous people of the Northwest Plateau. Today they are enrolled in the federally recognized Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon.
Traditionally, they were Salishan
Salishan languages
The Salishan languages are a group of languages of the Pacific Northwest...
-speaking group, who inhabited an area along the central coast of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
near the Siletz River
Siletz River
The Siletz River flows about to the Pacific Ocean through coastal mountains in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of its north and south forks near Valsetz in Polk County, it winds through the Central Oregon Coast Range. The river, draining a watershed of , empties into Siletz Bay,...
until the middle of the 19th century. The tribe was the southernmost group of the larger Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
culture, which was centered near the Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
and Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Washington.
The Siletz were closely related in language and culture to the Tillamook tribe to their north along the Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast
The Oregon Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It runs generally north-south along the Pacific Ocean, forming the western border of the state; the region is bounded to the east by the Oregon Coast Range. The Oregon Coast stretches approximately from the Columbia River in the north to...
. During or after the Rogue River Wars
Rogue River Wars
The Rogue River Wars was an armed conflict between the US Army, local militias and volunteers, and the Native American tribes commonly grouped under the designation of Rogue River Indians, in the Rogue River Valley area of what today is southern Oregon in 1855–56...
of 1855-1856, members of the tribe were moved to the Coast Indian Reservation
Coast Indian Reservation
The Coast Indian Reservation is a former Indian reservation in the U.S. state of Oregon, established in 1855. It was gradually greatly reduced in size to become the present-day Siletz Reservation.-History:...
, later called the Siletz Reservation
Siletz Reservation
The Siletz Reservation is a 5.852 sq mi Indian reservation in Oregon, United States, owned by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz...
, which was home to over 20 other tribes.
Population
Their population in 1700 was estimated at 100, as it was in 1800. After relocation in 1856, they were no longer counted separately.Language
The Siletz language, or Tillamoon properTillamook language
Tillamook is an extinct Salishan language, formerly spoken by the Tillamook people in northwestern Oregon, United States. The last fluent speaker is believed to have died in the 1970s; between 1965 and 1972, in an effort to prevent the language being destroyed, a group of researchers from the...
was a Salishan language that is now extinct.