Tsnungwe

The Tsnungwe (current Hupa language orthography) or Tse:nungxwe', Tsanunghwa are a Native American people settled along the Trinity River, South Fork of the Trinity River and New River, in Trinity and Humboldt County in California. They were because of their close affiliation called South Fork Hupa or South Hupa. Other tribal names refer to their territories occupied: South Fork Indians, Burnt Ranch and South Fork Trinity Tribe.

The Tsnungwe are a peaceful people. Their lives are focused on family, tradition, and the land. The land has provided the Tsnungwe with salmon, rainbow trout, black tail deer, and other local animals and plants. They have survived the encroachment of the Hupas, as well as the invasion of European and American settlers, through tight-knit family groups that continue to practice the morals and native traditions of their forebears.

The Tsnungwe language is considerd a dialect of the Hupa language of the Pacific Coast Athabaskan language group of North American native languages. This language with various dialects was spoken by the Hupa (Tinnunghennao or Dining'xine:wh - ″Hupa-speaking people″, ″Hupa Indians″; also called ″Hoopa Valley Hupa″ - own name Na:tinixwe'), Chilula (Mawenok or Me:w-yinaq; also called ″Redwood Creek Hupa″) and Whilkut (Whiylqit or Hoilkut; also called ″Redwood Creek Hupa″).