INDIAN NAMES IN THE TAMALPAIS REGION*

C. Hart Merriam

The tribe of Indians formerly inhabiting the Tamalpais region called

selves Hoo'-koo-e'-ko. Their territory extended from the Golden Gate north-
V to Valley Ford Creek, and from Point Reyes Peninsula easterly to the Peta-
h marshes and San Pablo Bay, thus coinciding almost exactly with the bound-
hs of the prevent County of Marin.

It is of interest historically that of the numerous tribes of Cali-

'ia, this was the first to be discovered by Europeans, for in the summer of
P* Sir Francis Drake when overhauling his vessels in the broad bay that now
g* his name, on the south s-ide of Pt. Reyes Peninsula, spent several weeks

their country, and had much to say of their friendliness and singular customs.

Mount Tamalpais and the series of beautiful valleys by which it is

"anded, from Olema and the long fiord-like Tomales Bay on the west to San

1l on the east, including Nicasio, Laguinitas, San Geronimo, Fairfax, and
Rafael valleys, all lie within the territory of the Hoo'-koo-e'-ko, were
_ from the vocabulary of this tribe. Among these are Tamalpais, from

F   1 the bay country, and pi'-es a mountain-Tam'-mal-pi-es or Tam-mal-pi's,

their own name for the mountain; Tamales Bay, which they called Tam-mal

h-le-wah, salt water; Point Reyes, which they called Taualhoo-yah-hooyah
nt or projection; Tamales Point, called Kal-loo'-pe tam-mal in reference
* shape of the point, which from its length and slenderness suggests the
of a hummingbird (Kal-loo'-pis).  The people on Tamales Bay they called
.l'-ko-ko meaning people.  Olema and Olompale are place names still in
the latter originally an Indian village on the west side of Petaluma
, now perpetuated for a district and schoolhouse; Marin County, as
known, was named for Marin, a great chief of the Hoo-koo-e-ko tribe,

tiovato and Nicasio were names of other chiefs--though Nicasio is Spanish,
Wdan.-

Other geographic or place names in the native language of the Hoo-koo-
, but which have not been perpetuated on our maps are: Etch'-a-tam'-mal,

io Valley; Etch-a-tam'-mal chawk, Nicasio Creek; Oo'-troo-mi'-ah, vicinity
esent town of Tomales; O-la'-mah lo'-kah, Olema Valley; Wah-kah-te,

Creek; Ah-wan-we, San Rafael; Wal-lo ma-la-kum, San Francisco Bay;

h-ko, San Geronimo Valley; Lo-was, Ross Valley; Sho-tum-ko, Gallinas Creek
; Cho-ketch-ah, Novato., Le-wan-hel-o-wah, coast at or near Sausalito.

California Out-of-Doors, April, 1916, p. 118.

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Names of Animals

Bear - Koo'-leh

Coon - Hoo-ma'-ka

Bob-cat - To-lo'-mah
Gray fox - Ah-wah'-ke
Coyote - O'-yeh
Deer - +(a'-sum

Gray squirrel - Sam'-kow'
Wood rat - Yu'-loo

Brush rabbit - No'-meh
Jack rabbit - Owl'-yeh

Sparrow hawk - He-le'-lek

Great horned owl - Too-koo-lis
Crow - Ah'-wetch

Blue jay (without crest) -

Si'-etch
Valley quail - Hek-ek'-ki
Rattlesnake - Oo-koo'-lis

Common lizard - Pet-tan-yah
Frog - Ko-to'-lah

rrees and Other Plants

Redwood - Cho'-la

Douglas fir - Hoo-toos'
Live oak - Sah'-tah
Black oak - Ko'-tis

-          Brake fern or bracken

Tanbark - Kah-tah'-me
Madrone - Kah-kas
Buckeye - Ah'-te

Poison oak - E'-tum
- Oo'-tuk

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