Chinook Indian Talk

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What's in a name?

From: Steady Eddie
Date: 2/5/2002
Time: 8:53:09 AM
Remote Name: 206.163.13.32

Comments

If you are out on the 'Net, digging for Chinook Indian information, you will run into a little oddity. As most search engines are looking for a specific word, the way that it is spelled becomes most important.

For example: The name of the most famous Chinook Chief can (and is) spelled two different ways out on the 'Net. It is either--CoNcomly, with an "N"---OR---CoMcomly, with an "M".... There exists information under both spellings.

Also, there are new ways of spelling "old" words.

For example: The staple food of The Chinooks, the "wapato" can be found on the 'Net using the key word: Arrowhead Plant or Arrowroot. Somewhere during your "wapato" research, you will find the Latin name of this plant, and by searching on that name you will find all sorts of info. Such as the fact that it is NOT native to the Pacific Northwest, but rather it is native to Asia and the Orient. So that--then--begs the question: How did the wapato get here?? To actually SEE one growing in the natural state, in a swamp or bog, you will see just how alien this plant looks. Like a Chinook once told me, "It ain't no skunk cabbage!" I am firm in my belief that "originally" the wapato was a part of the cargo contained in a Chinese Junk (boat) that was blown 'way off course and crashed on the coast. The Chinook knew all about how and where to grow the wapato and it was spread/planted everywhere that provided just the right conditions. Near the present Oregon town of Scap-poose (a Chinook name) there were ideal conditions, and a place (swampy) near the Columbia River there is/was called Wapato Flats. Here, Chinook women and children old enough, would harvest wapato by wading through the shallow water, finding and picking wapato roots with their feet and toes. When the root popped up, floating, it was caught and thrown into the canoe being towed along for the purpose. The canoe was filled to heaping, and they returned to their village. Because of the excellent "keeping" ability of the wapato, usually one trip per season was enough.

Steady Eddie

Last changed: February 05, 2002