Multnomah
The Multnomah are a Native American group that traditionally inhabited a region characterized by densely populated riverside villages between the Clackamas and Cathlamet rivers in Oregon. Their society was stratified and heavily reliant on natural resources, engaging in ocean and river harvesting, as well as hunting and trapping. The Multnomah established extensive trade networks within the region and utilized Chinookan jargon as a common trade language, highlighting their interactions with neighboring groups along the Northwest Coast and the Columbia River.
The first documented European American contact with the Multnomah occurred in 1792, though by this time, their population had already been significantly diminished due to epidemics, particularly smallpox. Historical figures such as Meriwether Lewis and William Clark noted encountering approximately 2,400 Multnomah individuals during their explorations, but disease had a devastating impact on their numbers. Over time, demographic shifts led to the merging of the Multnomah with other groups, with some members residing on the Grand Ronde Reservation alongside the Clackamas, while others lived off-reservation in the Willamette Valley. The Multnomah are recognized for their vital role as the original inhabitants of the Portland Basin.
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Multnomah
Category: Tribe
Culture area: Northwest Coast
Language group: Chinookan
Primary location: Sauvie Island and Columbia River, Oregon
The Multnomah, living in a densely populated stretch of riverside villages, were composed of ten separate territorial bands situated between the Clackamas to the south and the Cathlamet to the north. Their stratified society was based on ocean and river harvesting as well as hunting and trapping on land. They had well-developed trading relations within the region. Chinookan jargon was a lingua franca (trade language) on the Northwest Coast and along the Columbia River.
The first European American contact was probably by John Boit and Robert Gray in 1792, but by the time of first contact, the Multnomah population had already been drastically reduced by epidemics, particularly smallpox. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark noted encountering 2400 Multnomah in their travels near present-day Portland, yet the American Indian population in the area could not survive disease. Population reduction and the effects of trade also created demographic changes for the Multnomah and other groups, causing the merging of certain groups. Some Multnomah lived on the Grand Ronde Reservation along with the Clackamas, and some lived off-reservation in the Willamette Valley. The Multnomah are recognized for their importance in being first peoples of the Portland Basin.