Location: The Cayuse started out in upper Oregon and lower Washington bordering the Columbia River. The Oregon trail ran directly through their home land.

Daily Life: They were known as "People of the Stones or Rocks." The Cayuse decorated themselves and their horses with paint, feathers and other trappings.

The Cayuses were thought of as middle men because they would travel to Grande Ronde and exchange goods, from dried salmon to shells or even slaves. The Cayuse met other tribes in Walla Walla to trade but also to engage in friendly athletic competitions and festivities.

History: During the 1840’s the measles took over the tribe leaving them with only 400 left. This was the start of what is known as the Whitman massacre. The tribe blamed this doctor and his medicine for the deaths so, as a result, on November 29, 1847 the Whitman’s and 12 other people were slain.

In the 1850’s the people of the tribe signed a treaty ceding their land to the whites and agreeing to move to the Umatilla Reservation. Today the Cayuse tribe is no more. Most of the members joined other tribes, and the Cayuse faded away slowly until they were gone. The descendants of the tribe are now part of the Umatilla Confederated Tribes.

A Spanish horse, what the Cayuse used for everyday life.

Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on Cayuse history and culture.