Yachats, 1875: Indians to move to Siletz or Salmon River, or assimilate? (J.P. Harrington's notes quoted in Youst book)

[Dave Robertson]

Hello,

On page 95 of the Youst biography of Annie Miner Peterson, there is this
passage based on the notes of the venerable J.P. Harrington:

"The [Coos, Lower Umpqua, some of the Lower Coquille, and other] Indians
within the Alsea Subagency were given a choice:  they could move to what
remained of the reservation at either Siletz or the Salmon River, or they
could move out into the white culture and become assimilated...

"Some of the Alsea came down from Waldport to take part in the
conference...Last of all to speak was an old Alsea Indian whose name has
been forgotten.  He said in the Chinook Jargon, 'Nika mam'ook ill'ahee.
Nika muck'a muck nika.'"  Lottie Evanoff, who heard the story from her
father, Daloose, commented that it sounded as if he said (in translation),
'I'm going to eat my land.'  But what he really meant, she explained, was
that he would put a fish dam at his place and eat salmon, not imposing on
the whites.  In the end the Alsea moved a few at a time from Waldport to
Siletz over the next three years."