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Native Greetings of California

Here are some native greetings in the tribal languages of California:

Cahuilla: Míyaxwe! (pronounced "mee-yakh-way")
Chumash: Yawa! (pronounced "yah-wah")
Cupeno: Miyaxwa! (pronounced "mee-yakh-wa")
Hupa: He:yung! (pronounced "hay-yung")
Karuk: Ayukii! (pronounced "ah-yu-kee")
Diegueno: Haawka! (pronounced "how-kah")
Luiseno: Míyu! (pronounced "mee-yoo")
Miwok: Oppun towih? (pronounced "ope-poon toh-wee")
Mojave: Kwichkamaduum! (pronounced "kwitch-kah-mah-doom")
Mono: Mun-a-hoo! (pronounced "mu-nah-hoo")
Paiute: Manahuu! (pronounced "mah-nah-hoo")
Pomo: Chiin tha eh? (pronounced "cheen tha eh")
Serrano: Haminat! (pronounced "hah-mee-nat")
Shoshoni: Behne! (pronounced "buh-nuh")
Tolowa: Dv-laa-ha~! (pronounced "duh-lah-hahn")
Wiyot: He'ba'lo! (pronounced "hay-ba-lo")
Yurok: Oyuukwi! (pronounced "o-yoo-kwee")

Did you notice that some of these greetings are questions? In some Native American languages, it is traditional to greet another person by asking how they are feeling. "Hello!" and "how are you?" have the same translation in those languages.

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