Tak Elam

The Takelma, whose name means “those along the river,” lived in the Rogue Valley of southwestern Oregon. Most villages stood near the Rogue River, and winter settlements were placed close to dependable fishing grounds and oak groves. Salmon returning to spawn were an important food, as were acorns and the bulbs of camas. People also gathered berries, pine nuts and seeds. Ceremonies marked the arrival of the first salmon and the ripening of a new acorn crop.