Native languages in NW Canada/Alaska

[Richard Warren Welch]

Matthew Brayton, aged seven, was captured by Indians in Ohio in 1825 and
spent thirty-four years in captivity before returning to his family in
1859. He spent much of his captivity with a tribe in northwestern Canada or
Alaska. His later description of the geography of the region or the tribe's
name (he called them "Copperheads") don't provide much help in identifying
the tribe. Newspaper articles in 1859 and a book in 1860 give us a few
names and perhaps someone can identify the linguistic pattern.

The writer of an article in the Cleveland Daily Herald on August 30, 1859,
phonetically spelled the released captive's name as "Mo-kos-e-que-qua", but
which was spelled Owah-owah-kish-me-wah in later articles and in the 1860
book. His father-in-law's name was spelled O-wash-kah-ke-naw in 1860, and
Matthew said he was the "principal chief" of his band. The newspaper
article had the name spelled "Ma-co-chew-a-wa", although this name might
refer to a different individual.

Mathew says the title of the principal chief was Inkupudia. An article in
the Cleveland Daily Herald on Saturday, November 26, 1859, gives his wife's
name as Tefronia, which was translated as Tame Deer, and his children's
names as Tefrona, a daughter who was born about 1854, but spelled Tefronia
in later accounts, and Tuloosa, a son born June 1857. The son's name is
also spelled Qululee in some accounts, but Tululee seems to be the accepted
pronunciation. These names are the only hints as to the linguistic group of
the released captive's tribe. Tom Andrews, Sub-Arctic Archeologist in
Yellowknife, says the names do not match the linguistic patterns of
Athapaskan and appear to be Cree, an Algonquian language. Can anyone
confirm that, or perhaps identify the tribe with this linguistic pattern?

Richard Welch, Director, Museum of the Great Plains

<director at museumgreatplains.org>