The Chinook Indians were living along the Columbia and Willamette rivers that were near the region of the Pacific coast in what is now Oregon and Washington. This was during the Late Archaic period before the European explorers arrived.

Chinook Tribe Lifestyle

They lived the hunter-gathering lifestyle, and also fished sometimes. They fished salmons that they catch in the rivers. When spring comes, the salmons run out, and so what they do with this is that they dry and smoke it out for it to be preserved in the winter. It was normal for them to store food as the vegetation from which they depend their food upon was not that much especially during the cold months of winter.

Chinook Indians Tribe: Hunting

Elk and deer were also hunted by the Chinook Indians tribe. It was very easy for them because they use their specialized bows and arrows together with the spears and atlatls that their forefathers had. The bows and arrows were a new invention for them and they mastered using it together with the old weapons that they had.

Chinook Indians Food

Acorns, camas, and Wapato are some of the favorite food that they eat. They eat this because they have studied it carefully and based on observation alone, they concluded that it makes them stronger, more alert, energetic, and have the endurance that they need especially at the time of war or in doing a variety of other tasks.

The wapatos were grown in the wetlands. These were similar to the potatoes or the yucca, which they considered as their staple food that they eat together with their main dish.

The Chinook gave importance to election as this showed their love for freedom and liberty. They practice electing leaders instead of inheriting the divine rights that other leaders from other Native American tribes have. They lived in small bands and these bands are lead by their leader that is called “big men”. These big men are only temporary leaders that are replaced when the right time comes.

The Chinook Indians tribe is also known to be good traders as they traded along with other native tribes that were living in the region surrounding the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. The Snake River was also a very vital marketplace for them as this was where other Native American tribes gathered to trade with each other.

Chinook Homes

The Chinooks tribe were living in villages that were located in the upper regions of the rivers. This gives them the vision that they need to secure them from raiders.

They lived inside houses that were made of wood and cedar planks. This was very durable and was also easy to build and repair, thus gaining its popularity throughout the entire Chinook villages.

The rich Chinook Indians had bigger shelters while the poorer ones had smaller houses. The poorest of all lived in other houses, and the more fortunate and richer ones would welcome them warmly. This is what made them a helpful tribe that had the virtues of brotherhood and lending each other a hand.

Chinook nation, Chinook tribe population, where did the Chinook originate from, Chinook weapons