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Skitswish
Indian Tribe
Skitswish. From their own name; significance unknown. Also called:
Coeur d'Alene, a French appellation meaning "awl heart," said to have been
used originally by a chief to indicate the size of a trader's heart.
Q'ma'shpal, Yakima name, meaning "camas people."
Pointed Hearts, derived from the word Coeur d'Alene.
Connections. The Skitswish belonged to the inland division of the Salishan
stock, their closest relatives being the Kalispel or Pend d'Oreilles, and
other eastern tribes.
Location. On the headwaters of Spokane River from a little above Spokane
Falls to the sources, including Coeur d'Alene Lake and all its
tributaries, and the head of the Clearwater.
Subdivisions and Villages
Teit (1930) reports the following divisions and villages, noting that the
last in reality may have included two sections, the Coeur d'Alene Lake
Division and the Spokane River Division:
St. Joe River Division:
| Ntcaamtsen (.ntcäa'mtsEn),
at the confluence of the St. Joe and St. Manes |
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Rivers. |
| Stiktakeshen (.sti'qutakEcEn?),
near the mouth of St. Joe River, on the river, or |
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nearby on the lake. |
| Stotseawes (stotsEäwES),
on St. Joe River, at the place now called Fish Trap |
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by the Whites. |
| Takolks (ta'x.olks) (?), on upper Hangman's River, at a spring near the
foot of the hill just south of De Smet. |
Tcatowashalgs (tcat'owacalgs), on St. Joe River a little above Stotseawes.
Tcetishtasheshen (tcêti'ctacEcEn), probably on the lake, near the
Stiktakeshen, |
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on the north or east side, not far from the mouth of
the river. |
Coeur d'Alene River Division:
Athlkwarit (algwarit), at Harrison.
Gwalit (gwa'lit), near the lake and close to Harrison.
Hinsalut (hfnsii'lut), on Coeur d'Alene River a little above Smakegen.
Kokolshtelps (gogolc'telps), a little above Nestagwast.
Nalstkathlkwen (nalstqa'lxwEn), a little above Senshalemants.
Neatskstem (ne'atsxstErn), on Coeur d'Alene River a little above
Athlkwarit. Nestagwast (nest'a'gwast), at Black Lake, at a tributary river
and lake here. Senshalemants (sEnca'lEmants), a little above Hinsalut.
Smakegen (sma'qEgen), at Medimont.
Skwato (sk'wat'o'), at old mission.
Tclatcalk (tcla'tcalxw), on Coeur d'Alene Lake, close to the mouth of
Coeur |
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d'Alene River. |
Coeur d'Alene Lake and Spokane River Division.
Ntaken (nt'a'q'En) Hayden Lake), north of Coeur d'Alene Lake.
Tcelatcelitcemen (tcelatcelitcr:mEn), halfway down Coeur d'Alene
Lake, on the |
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east side. |
Ntcemkainkwa (ntc'Emga'ingwa), at Coeur d'Alene City.
Smethlethlena (srnElnle'na), near the last on the same side.
Tpoenethlpem, very near the preceding, on the same side.
Nsharept (nca'rEpt), a little below the next to the last.
Stcatkwei (stcatkwe'i), a little below the last.
Kamilen (q'ami'len), at Post Falls.
Hinsaketpens (hinsaq'a'tpEns), about one mile above the Spokane bridge.
Newashalks (ne'Ewa'calgs), a little below the preceding.
Ntsetsawolsako (ntsetsakwolsa'ko?), on Tamarack Creek, toward the |
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mountains. |
Neshwahwe (nesxwa'xxwe), on the river a little below the last two.
Nesthlihum (nesli'xum), a little below the last.
Tcanokwaken (tcanokwa'kEn?), a little below the last.
Mulsh (mule), at Green Acres.
Tcatenwahetpem (tcatenwa'TetpEm), a short distance below Green Acres, and
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about 20 miles above Spokane City. |
History. There is no tradition of any Skitswish migrations. Like so many
other tribes in the region, the Skitswish were first brought clearly to
the attention of Whites by Lewis and Clark. Although suffering the usual
heavy losses following contact with Europeans, they continued to live in
the same country and were finally allotted a reservation there bearing
their name.
Population. Mooney (1928) estimated that the Skitswish may have numbered
1,000 in 1780, but Teit (1930) raises this to from 3,000 to 4,000. In 1905
the United States Indian Office returned 494, all on the one reservation.
The census of 1910 gave 293, probably below the true figure, as the United
States Indian Office reported 601 on the reservation, including probably
some Spokane, and in 1937 it returned 608.
Connections in which they have become noted. Coeur d'Alene Lake in
northern Idaho and a town on its shores preserve the memory of the
Skitswish, as they bear the name given this tribe by the French.
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