Kusan Family

 Native American Nations | Linguistic Families                   

• Kúsa, Gatschet in Mag. Am. Hist., 257, 1883.

Derivation: Milhau, in a manuscript letter to Gibbs (Bureau of Ethnology), states that “Coos in the Rogue River dialect is said to mean lake, lagoon or inland bay.”

The “Kaus or Kwokwoos” tribe is merely mentioned by Hale as living on a river of the same name between the Umqua and the Clamet.⁶⁵ Lewis and Clarke⁶⁶ also mention them in the same location as the Cookkoo-oose. The tribe was referred to also under the name Kaus by Latham,⁶⁷ who did not attempt its classification, having in fact no material for the purpose.

Mr. Gatschet, as above, distinguishes the language as forming a distinct stock. It is spoken on the coast of middle Oregon, on Coos River and Bay, and at the mouth of Coquille River, Oregon.

Tribes
Anasitch.
Melukitz.
Mulluk or Lower Coquille.
Nacu?.

Population.—Most of the survivors of this family are gathered upon the Siletz Reservation, Oregon, but their number can not be stated as the agency returns are not given by tribes.

Indian Linguistic Families of America North of Mexico, 1891

Linguistic Families