Chimakuan Family. A linguistic family of the N. W. coast, now represented by one
small tribe, the Quileute, on the coast of Washington. There was
formerly an eastern division of the family, the Chimakum, occupying the
territory between Hood's canal and Port Townsend, which
is now probably extinct. The situation of these two tribes, as well as certain
traditions, indicate that in former times the family may have been more powerful
and occupied the entire region to the south of the strait of Juan de Fuca from
which they were driven out by the Clallani and Makah. This, however, is
uncertain. Within historic times the stock has consisted solely of the two small
branches mentioned above. They have borne a high reputation among their Indian
neighbors for warlike qualities, but for the greater part have always been
on friendly terms with the whites. In customs the Quilente, or eastern Chimakuan,
resembled the Makah and Nootka; all were whalers. The Chimakum, on the other
hand, resembled the Clallam in customs. The Chimakuan dialects have not been
thoroughly studied, but the material collected shows the language to be
quite independent, though with certain phonetic and morphologic relations
to the Salish and Wakashan.
Chimakum, A Chimakuan tribe, now probably extinct, formerly occupying the
peninsula between Hood's canal and Port Townsend, Wash. Little is known of
their history except that they were at constant war with the Clallam and other
Salish neighbors, and by reason of their inferiority in numbers suffered
extremely at their hands. In 1855, according to Gibbs, they were reduced to 90
individuals. The Chimakum were included in the Point no Point treaty of 1855 and
placed upon the Skokomish reservation, since which time they have gradually
diminished in numbers. In 1890 Boas was able to learn of only three
individuals who spoke the language, and even those but imperfectly. He
obtained a small vocabulary and a few grammatical notes, published in part
in Am. Anthrop., v, 37-44, 1892.
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