In search of Chetlessenten, Oregon south coast - After the Ants
Join me after the ants have gone underground for winter, as I tromp around near the mouth of the Pistol River, in search of the long-gone Native village of Chetlessenten, on the southern Oregon coast in November 2022.
This Tututni Athapaskan village, at its apex, had 50 pit houses situated on the bluffs overlooking the Pistol River's mouth, with a good 50 people living there at last count. Sadly the village was burned in the 1850's during the Rogue River Wars, and the people relocated to the reservation.
According to the last map drawn of the village site, one pit house is indicated at the north end of Eagle Rock, and I went in search of that site. I also sought , as always, a connection with those people, whose ancient ancestry and lifeway close to the earth and deeply connected with the natural world sustained them far longer than some countries' lifespans.
If you also go in search of Chetlessenten, please do not search for artifacts, please leave no trace, and be careful about waves and the climb. Along with a sad but important connection with the original people and the old ways, I found, as winter weather always gifts us with, not one ant.
At the headwaters of the mainstem Pistol River, to talk about protecting our water resources:
• Headwaters of the Pistol River: a hike an...