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The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians is one of nine federally recognized Native American Tribes in the State of Oregon. Historically, the Tribal people of Oregon were just as diverse as the languages they spoke. Living in the forests and rugged mountains of the Umpqua and Rogue River Valleys in Southern Oregon, the Cow Creek people spoke Takelma, their ancestral language. However, the arrival of fur trappers, miners, gold rushers, and missionaries in the 19th century nearly wiped out the Takelma language. As a result, the U.S Government relocated Cow Creek people from their traditional lands, leaving only a few who were able to seek refuge in the mountains. The rest were pressured to assimilate into pioneer culture, abandoning Takelma in favor of English.

With the loss of fluent speakers, many Takelma words were forgotten, and the last person who could speak the language fluently passed away nearly a century ago. Despite this, within the Tribe’s families, fragments of Takelma language were preserved and passed down through generations, keeping the language alive in some form. Today, there is a strong effort within the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians to revitalize and preserve the Takelma language. Through documentation and limited recordings, tribal members are relearning the language and teaching it to others. Each day, more Tribal citizens are speaking Takelma, reclaiming a part of their heritage that was once lost.

One example of Takelma being spoken is a simple blessing for the land and the people: "Haaphk’emnà’sThkáa yap’á taayúsaa’si taphoyòth. Altíi taphoyòth. Tuuwuù’kh."

As efforts to revitalize the Takelma language continue, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians is working to ensure that their ancestral language does not fade into obscurity but instead thrives once again within their community.

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