Rare Chinook House Stone Re-discovered!

Kloshe Nanitch

The Guardian of Altoona

In April Portland archaeologist Melissa Darby connected me to Kari Kandoll, the curator of the Wahkiakum County Historical Society Museum in Cathlamet, WA. Cathlamet is a small community about 65 miles west and down the Columbia River from Vancouver and Portland.

Kari and her staff had recently uncovered a small, interestingly carved boulder in the storage area of the museum. The boulder had been donated long ago by a local resident and since forgotten among the thousands of items in the museum's collection.

Late in June Kari brought the stone to the CultureWatch NW office in Vancouver where we took the photos included here.

After some research we concluded that the stone was a Chinook house stone. This rare carved stone figure is believed to have stood outside a Chinook Indian longhouse (similar to the one in the "Floor Plan drawing to the right) in the vicinity of Altoona, WA.

The figure probably represents a mythological character important in the Chinookan spiritual belief structure. Such carved figures, in stone or wood, were erected outside longhouses to protect the occupants from evil spirits and influences.

Note the tapered lower end of the stone which would have been buried in the earth, securing the stone in an upright position near the front of the house.

Also notice the triangular ribbed carving on the back of the figure. In several other examples of Chinookan carving this shape represents the exaggerated tail of an animal (a beaver or mountain sheep) providing another indication that perhaps the human-like face on the front of the stone is not actually human, but a protective spirit figure.

Once we had identified what the carved stone was we wanted to come up with a suitable name that would recognize its significance and honor its purpose. After consulting a Chinook Jargon Phrasebook I suggested the name "Kloshe Nanitch", The Guardian of Altoona.

The words mean "take care, stand guard, watch out"...suitable terms for a house stone that would have protected occupants of a long house hundreds of years ago.

Now Kloshe Nanitch is headed for a place of honor on display in the Wahkiakum Museum near where it served its original purpose guarding the Chinook people of Altoona.

VISIT KLOSHE NANITCH & CATHLAMET!

Historic Cathlamet is an easy day trip from Portland or Vancouver and is well worth visiting. While you're there you can stop in at the Historical Society Museum, check out Kloshe Nanitch and enjoy an extensive exhibit and photo collection, including logging, fishing, maritime, farming, families, towns, and genealogy records.

The Wahkiakum County Historical Society Museum

65 River Street, Cathlamet, WA
360-795-3954 or 360-849-4353

Open: Open Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 the first full weekend in May and close the last weekend in October.  Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and kids under 18 are free.

If you visit the weekend of July 16, Cathlamet will be holding its Bald Eagle Days festival, a traditional small town event with fun for everyone!

CultureWatch Director to Speak This Saturday

Columbia River Plateau archaeology and Indian rock art will be subjects of a talk and slide show Saturday at the quarterly meeting of the Camas-Washougal Historical Society.

Michael W. Taylor, a Washington native and co-author of five books, will speak about cultural resources, rock art and Columbia Plateau archaeology.

His presentation will be titled "Reconnecting with Nichi-Wana: Ancient Indian Rock Art of the Lower Columbia River".

Taylor has contributed to five books and numerous professional articles and presentations. He is the principal of Culture Watch Northwest, an organization dedicated to protecting “places that matter.” He has served as both president and director of the Oregon Archaeological Society.

Taylor’s talk is set for 2 p.m. Saturday in the community room of the Camas Police Station, 2100 N.E. Third Ave. There will be time for discussion and questions after his presentation. Learn more about Culture Watch Northwest at http://culturewatchnorthwest.blogspot.com.

Information courtesy of The Columbian. Read the original article at: Historical Society Hosts Archaeology Talk

Sacred Cave/Rock Art Vandalized Near Bend, OR

Vandalism Discovered at Arnold Cave Complex in Central Oregon-Reward Offered

April 21, 2011, during a visit to the Arnold cave complex, Forest Archaeologist Penni Borghi, Wildlife Specialist Julie York, local Grotto president Matt Skeels, and ASCO members Lisa Nicol and Susan Gray discovered extensive paint vandalism at Hidden Forest Cave.

Several different colors of spray paint graffiti covered a large stretch of the east face of the sink area, stopping just short of the drip line. Pictures do not do the damage justice (see video below)!

This cave is one of the most beautiful in the extensive lava tube systems in Central Oregon, and one of the most overused and badly treated. Past ASCO stewardship visits have reported evidence of vehicular traffic on the closed roads, illegal fire pits, damaged trees cut for firewood and shot up for whatever reason, large numbers of beer cans and bottles (many shattered against the rock faces), discarded clothing, and other types of graffiti.

If you are unsure about what activities are not permitted in the caves, you may read the Forest Service’s guidelines for cave access on their website. (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/conditio ns/cave_access_deschutes.pdf)

If you have any information that could help the investigation into the vandalism at this site, please contact Eddy Cartaya, the Forest Service law enforcement officer handling the case, at the Bend-Fort Rock Office (541-383- 4796).

(Article above reprinted with permission from the ASCO May-June 2011 Midden. Thanks to Susan Gray, Editor of the Midden for sending us this info.)

VIDEO BELOW PROVIDED BY OREGON HIGH DESERT GROTTO

(caution...if you love rock art and/or caves this is a very disturbing video).

REWARD OFFERED/DONATE TO REWARD FUND

Oregon High Desert Grotto, a caving club based in Bend, OR, is offering a reward for information on the Hidden Forest Cave vandalism. They are also asking for donations to increase the reward fund. Click here for more info on the reward or to make a donation