The Hoh Indian Tribe are considered to be a band of the Quileutes but are recognized as a separate tribe. Located at the mouth of the Hoh River on the western Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, the tiny Hoh Indian Tribe is dependent on the fish and wildlife of the Hoh River for their subsistence and commercial economy. This federally recognized indian tribe takes it’s name from the principal river in their territory.
Official Tribal Name: Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation
Address: PO Box 2196, Forks, Washington 98331
Phone: (360) 374-6582
Fax: (360) 374-5426
Email: Email Contacts
Official Website: hohtribe-nsn.org
Recognition Status: Federally Recognized
Traditional Name / Traditional Meaning:
The Hoh River takes its name from the Quinault language name for the river, Hoxw. No meaning can be associated with the Quinault name. Smitty Parratt, in his God and Goblins study of Olympic National Park place names, claims that Hoh means “fast, white water” but, in fact, no etymology for the name can be found in either the Quinault or Quileute languages. The tribe is named after the river.
Common Name / Meaning of Common Name:
Hoh tribe, meaning “People of the river.”
Alternate names / Alternate spellings / Misspellings:
Formerly known as the Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation
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Region: Northwest Coast
State(s) Today: Washington
Traditional Territory:
Confederacy: Quileute
Treaties:
Quinault Treaty of July 1, 1855
Reservation: Hoh Indian Reservation
The Hoh Indian Reservation was established by an Executive Order of September 11, 1963.
Land Area: 1.929 square kilometres (477 acres)
Tribal Headquarters: Forks, Washington
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Registered Population Today: 212 enrolled members.
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Elections: The Governing body is elected by secret ballot biannually in November.
Language Classification: Salishan -> Coast Salish -> Quinault
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The original Hoh language was the Quinault language. Though Hoh are considered to be a band of the Quileute tribe, they are originally related to the Quinault tribe, but after marrying together with the Quileute tribe, the Hoh tribe became a bilingual tribe, speaking both Quileute and Quinault, until, ultimately, just speaking Quileute.
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Cedar is used for cultural purposes, for baskets, carvings, and canoes.
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The Hoh were hunter/gatherers and many traditional foods are still harvested. Salmon fishing was the primary food source, and remains the primary income source for the tribe today.
Economy Today:
The livelihood of the Hoh Indians is primarily fishing although a few of the residents make traditional decorative baskets, carved canoes for ocean going or river use and other decorative carvings. The local people dip for smelts on the beaches and still use smokehouses for preserving food for future use. The tidelands are abundant with razor clams, butter clams, crab and perch fishing. Twenty people are employed in various enterprises administered by the tribe.
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