Upper Klamath Lake: Maklaks Place Names
This is our homeland. We have been here since time immemorial, and we do not plan to go anywhere anytime soon. Reclaim our homes, reclaim our places, reawaken our spirits, and revitalize our Maklaks peoples and places. Here is a draft list of some of our place names for this region from Spindor 1996 (Linked in Hoqambli Resource Directory).
Say these names again, go to these places again, revitalize the relationship between our Maklaks peoples and places again. And protect our places and the spirits that still dwell in them.
Ya-aga: Ya-ga is above the bridge on Williamson River. Place rich in willows, one mile from Upper Klamath Lake, location of where they killed c'waam and koptu every year
Kuyaga: Near Ya-ga. Cremation site.
Kohashti: NE of Upper Klamath Lake. 3 miles north of Ya-aga. A settlement of 5-6 lodges, fishing place, starting poitn for canoes to the western and southern shores of the lake, Gmunkumps named this place.
Yanaldi, Yanalti: Mtn Ridge by Agency. Mtn ridge abt 400-600 ft tall, sometimes name applied to Crooked Creek
Kumbat, Gumbat: W Side of Upper Klamath Lake"in the rocks".
Ka-ashkshi: Eastern shores of Upper Klamath Lake. 3 miles South of Modoc Point, a mourners sweat house was here, several centuries old
Wakaksi Spuklish: W Shores of Upper Klamath Lake Mortuary sweat lodge named after the tuakish or wakish crane.
Uxotuash: Buck Island, Set of special rocks.
Kokaksakshi: Northeast of Linkville. A fording place "at Little River"; probably northeast of Linkville, a large spring of this name was 15 miles east of the Klamath Agency buildings, on the road from there to Yaneks. A camping place, in the texts given as Kokaxani.
I-uauana: Linkville (Klamath Falls since 1893) Yulalona, I-ulalona: Link River. The outlet of the Upper Klamath Lake running into Lower Klamath Lake, meaning "receding and returning water" (waters would retreat under the pressure of the south wind to return afterwards"
Wuksalks: 6 miles from Linkville
Wokash: place camp
Kiuti: Near Modoc Point, Locality on Upper Klamath Lake near Modoc Point, close to the scene of the legendary encounter of "Old Grizzly" and "Old Gray Wolf". "Kiuti is the name of an Indian camping place situated a short distance north of Modoc Point, on the eastern shore of Upper Klamath Lake" The legendary encounter mentioned above is found in "The Spell of the Laughing Raven" at page 131 of the texts. In substance it reads- Old Gray Wolf arrived at Kiuti with others to lay down rest. Not being at home, Gray Wolf lay in full dress with moccasins on; he fell asleep. Then came Old Grizzly and stole Gray Wolf's beads and moccasins. Grizzly put on the beads and moccasins and left for a fishing place. Gray Wolf woke up and caught Grizzly on a hill and threw him down it, he rolled Grizzly over the rocks for having robbed him; then he killed Old Grizzly. Whereupon the Klamath people commenced fighting the northerners, because Old Grizzly had been killed by Gray Wolf. The Old Raven laughed at the fighting of Grizzly and Gray Wolf and they became rocks. In this myth, Old Grizzy represents the Klamath Tribe, Old Gray Wolf the northerners, the bear having been killed by an intruder, the Klamaths had to take revenge for insult 132. Tradition reports that Old Grizzly was pushedd over some of the high rocks at Modoc Point.
Laklakshti: Klamath Agency, A water course west of the Klamath Agency buildings
Lukuashti: Near Linkville, Hot springs near Linkville. The northern springs had a temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nilakla: Modoc Point Ridge, A high and rocky promontory on the east side of Upper Klamath Lake. Known as Modoc Point, the mountain is also known as Nilakla, "dawn or sunrise".
Pitsua: 2 miles SSW of Klamath Agency buildings, An eminence about two miles of the Klamath Agency buildings. A fine view of Upper Klamath Lake and the Cascade Range can be ejoyed from the rocky summit
Skohuashki Kohashti: Other form of the local name Kohashti. Literally "canoe starting place". At one time, the location of the Government Agency.
Shuhiaxiegish: Modoc Point. Rocks near Modoc Point.
Shuyakeksh: Modoc Point, "Leaping place". A localty at Modoc Point, close to the north end of the Nilaks mountain ridge and the shore of Upper Klamath Lake, one-quarter mile from Chief Link River Jack's lodge. Here the people would leap for amusement over large rocks, which had rolled down from the impending ridge onto the plain. The word sometimes designated Modoc Point. In the texts (142), it is stated that Kmukkamtch named this locality.
Shuyakekshni, Tsuyakeksni: Linkville Indians, Name of the Klamath Lake people who settled near Shuyakeksh rocks. Link River being their chief and number 92 in October 1877.
Tgulutcham Kshutelsh: Klamath Agency, Bettles Rest; a small brook on which the building of the Klamath Agency were erected; it drove a sawmill and grist mill. It rises in a deep spring of clear water, is one-eight of a mile in legth, and joins Crooked River
Tiwishxeni: North of Linkville, near mouth of Upper Klamath Lake, The cascade formed by Link River, a little north of Linkville and near the mouth of the Upper Klamath Lake. "Where the cascade noise is".