Cayuse
At a glance:
- Series: American Indians Ready Reference
- Categories: Civilizations, Cultures
- Subcategories: Native Americans, American Indians
- Curriculum: American Indian History
- Geographical Location: Oregon, Washington
The Cayuse tribe is generally considered a Plateau tribe, but some scholars consider the Cayuse a Great Basin group. The Cayuse were called “Cailloux,” meaning “People of the Stones,” by early French-Canadian fur traders. They were closely related to the Walla Wallas of southeastern Washington and to the Nez Perce, with whom they intermarried and whose more flexible language they eventually adopted. They lived primarily near the headwaters of the Walla Walla, Umatilla, and Grande Ronde rivers. The Cayuse acquired horses relatively early and became known as expert riders (the...
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