In a history of Humboldt county in California there is a reference to an event in the mid-19th century regarding Wiyot Indians: When on the bluff, about 400 Indians came running along the beach flashing their polaltes. Does anyone know what "polaltes" might be? Thanks!
That's a tough one! I searched all the places I could think of (as you no doubt also did). Came up with nada. Are you positive about the spelling?
I tried Google, which returned mostly formal names (proper nouns) as well as some pages in Latin, French, and Spanish. Then tried Google translate with Latin, French, and Spanish. Then tried N-grams, online dictionaries, encyclopedias, etymology. Still no joy.
My best guess is it just might be a Wiyot Indian word. Unfortunately, Google Translate does not include Wiyot. Nor does Babel Fish. I did find an online source for the Wiyot language:
http://www.native-languages.org/wiyot_words.htm
but my search there also came up zilch. Short of talking to an actual Wiyot, I can't think of anything else to try. I'm stumped. Anyone else have any ideas?
Sadly, Wiyot no longer has any native speakers. Happily, the language has been well documented. There is hope. In the past, I have gone to the library of the National Museum of the American Indian to do some language research. Next week I may be able to drop by to see if there is a Wiyot dictionary that helps. There is a chance it is so culture specific that the definition is "polalte (noun): a polalte".
Don't give up hope. It may well turn out that another tribe with whom the Wiyot traded used a related word in their own language for whatever a polalte is, and that their language is better documented.
mbaretich said:
In a history of Humboldt county in California there is a reference to an event in the mid-19th century regarding Wiyot Indians: When on the bluff, about 400 Indians came running along the beach flashing their polaltes. Does anyone know what "polaltes" might be? Thanks!
Could you give us a better reference (specific book etc.) to the event?
Emmett