While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Sanpoil. A native word in spite of its French aspect; meaning unknown.
Also called:
Hai-ai'-nlma, by the Yakima.
Ipoilq, another Yakima name.
Nesilextcl'n, .n.selixtcl'n, by Sanpoil, and probably meaning "Salish
speaking."
N'pooh-le, a shortened form of the name.
Connections. The Sanpoil belonged to the inland division
of the Salishan linguistic stock, and were related most closely to its
eastern section.
Location. On Sanpoil River and Nespelem Creek and on the Columbia below
Big Bend. They were later placed on Sanpoil and Colville Reservations.
Subdivisions and Villages
The Nespelim of Nespelem Creek were often given independent status. Ray
gives the following villages and camps:
Nespelim villages:
Haimisahun, a summer settlement of the Suspiluk, on the north bank of Columbia River about a half mile above the mouth of Nespelem River.
Masmasalimk, home of the Smasmasalimkuwa, approximately a mile and a
half above Skik.
Nekuktshiptin, home of the Snekuktshiptimuk, at the site of the present
Condon's Ferry, on the north side of the river.
Nspilem, home of the Snspiluk, on the lower Nespelem from the falls to the
mouth of the river.
Salkuahuwithl, home of the Salkuahuwithlau, across the river from the
present town of Barry.
Skik, home of the Skik, about a mile above Salkuahuwithl on the same side
of the river.
Skthlamchin, fishing grounds of the Salkuahuwithlau, across the river from
the mouth of the Grand Coulee.
Sanpoil villages:
Enthlukaluk, about a mile and a half north of the mouth of the river.
Hahsulauk, home of the Shahsulauhuwa, near Plum.
Hulalst, home of the S-hulalstu, at Whitestone, about 8 miles above
Npuiluk.
Hwatsam, a winter camp, about 3 miles above Snukeilt.
Kakamkam, on the islands in the Sanpoil River a short distance above the
mouth.
Kathlpuspusten, home of the Kathlpuspustenak, about a mile above Plum, on
the opposite side of the river.
Ketapkunulak, on the banks of the Columbia just east of the Sanpoil River.
Naak, home of the Snaakau, about a mile below Plum but on the north side
of the river.
Nhohogus, fishing grounds of the S-hulalstu.
Npokstian, a winter camp, about 2 miles above Hwatsam.
Npuiluk, home of the Snpuiluk, at the mouth of Sanpoil River, made up of
the following camps: Snkethlkukwiliskanan, near the present landing of the
Keller ferry; a branch of the last called by the same name, several
hundred yards north of the first between the cliff and the Sanpoil River,
on the west side;
Kethltselchin, on the first bench above the Columbia,
west of the Sanpoil River.
Nthlahoitk, a winter camp of the Snpuiluk. about halfway between
Skthlamchin and Naak.
Saamthlk, home of the Saamthlk, on the opposite side of the river from
Kathlpuspusten.
Skekwilk, on the west side of Sanpoil River about a mile above the mouth.
Snputlem, on the east bank of Sanpoil River, about an eighth of a mile
above
the mouth.
Snukeilt, home of the Snukeiltk, on the west side of Columbia River about
2
mile above the mouth of Spokane River.
Tkukualkuhun, home of the Stkukualkuhunak, at Rodger's Bar just across
the river from Hunters.
Tsaktsikskin, a winter camp of the Snpuiluk, about a half mile below Naak.
Wathlwathlaskin, home of the Swathlwathlaskink, 3 mile up the river from
Nthlahoitk.
Temporary camp sites of the Sanpoil on Sanpoil River; beginning with the
first temporary camp beyond Npuiluk:
Enluhulak, about 3 miles above the mouth of the river.
Ksikest, on the west side of the river about halfway between the Columbia
River and Keller.
Aklaiyuk, ½ mile above Ksikest. Snkloapeten, a short distance below
Keller. Pupesten, at the present site of Keller.
Nmhoyam, about a quarter of a mile north of Keller.
Nhwiipam, a mile above Alice Creek on the east side of the river.
Seaachast, at Alice Creek.
Achhulikipastem, about half a mile north of Alice Creek.
Nloklokekuelikten, about 2 miles south of Cash Creek.
Nhatlchinitk, on the
west side of the river at Cash Creek.
Snthulusten, on the east side of the river at the foot of a cliff, about
34 mile above
Cash Creek.
Nlupiam, 1½ miles above Snthulusten, on the same side of the river.
Slakumulemk, directly across the river from Nlupiam.
Nklakachin, on the
east side of the river, at Thirty-mile Creek.
Malt, ½ mile above
Thirty-mile Creek.
Lulukhum, at Devil's Elbow.
The following possible camp sites are higher up:
Akthlkapukwithlp, 8 miles below West Fork.
Kthliipus, at the present site
of Republic.
Tkwiip, near the creek at West Fork.
Population. Mooney (1928) estimates 800 Sanpoil in 1780 but Ray (1932)
raises this to 1,600-1,700, and considers that there were about 1,300
immediately following the middle of the nineteenth century. In 1905 the
United States Indian Office returned 324 Sanpoil and 41 Nespelim; in 1910
the census gave 240 and 46; in 1913, as the result of a survey, the Office
of Indian Affairs returned 202 and 43.
Connection in which they have become noted. Sanpoil River, a northern
tributary of the Columbia, perpetuates the name of the Sanpoil. Nespelem
River is named for the subgroup, and a town.
