Alsea History Brief

The name of the Alsea tribe is a corruption of Älsé, their own name, meaning unknown.
The Chastacosta tribe named them the Kûnis'tûnne. Päifan amím is the name given to them by the Luckiamute Kalapuya tribe. Si ni'-te-le tunne  is the name given to the Alsea by the Naltunne tribe and means "flatheads."  Tcha yá?o amim is the name given by the Luckiamute Kalapuya. Tehayesatlu is the Nestucca name for the tribe.

Connections
The Alsea belonged to the Yakonan linguistic stock.

Location
On Alsea River and Bay in Oregon

Villages

Chiink, on the south side of Alsea River.
Kakhtshanwaish, on the north side of Alsea River.
Kalbusht, on the lower course of Alsea River.
Kauhuk, on the south side of Alsea River.
Kaukhwan, on the north side of Alsea River at Beaver Creek.
Khlimkwaish, on the south side of Alsea River.
Khlokhwaiyutslu, on the north side of Alsea River.
Kutauwa, on the north side of Alsea River at its mouth.
Kwamk, on the south side of Alsea River.
Kwulisit, on the south side of Alsea River.
Kyamaisu, on the north side of Alsea River at its mouth.
Panit, on the south side of Alsea River.
Shiuwauk, on the north side of Alsea River.
Skhakhwaiyutslu, on the south side of Alsea River.
Tachuwit, on the north side of Alsea River.
Thlekuhweyuk, on the south side of Alsea River.
Thlekushauk, on the south side of Alsea River.

Population
Mooney (1928) estimates the number of Indians belonging to the Yakonan stock at 6,000 in 1780. The census of 1910 returned 29 Indians under this name, and that of 1930 only 9 under the entire Yakonan stock.

Connection in which they have become noted.  Alsea or Alsea River, Alsea Bay and the village of Alsea, Benton County, Oregon, preserve the name of the Alsea Indians.

The Indian Tribes of North America (1910) ~ John R. Swanton

From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories

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