Update this timeline entry

The Chiaha were also known as Talimeco and lived among the Yamasee

Source: Early History of the Creek Indians and Their Neighbors #121

Project ID

Chapter

Timeline title

Start date

End date

Filename received

Filename assigned

Content

There is, however, another line of evidence [that there were Chiaha among the Yamasee]. In 1566 and 1567 Juan Pardo made two expeditions inland toward the northwest, and reached among other places in the second of these the Chiaha whom De Soto had formerly encountered. Now Pardo calls them "Chihaque, que tiene por otro nombre se llama Lameco," and in another place "Lameco, que tiene por otro nombre Chiaha,"6 while in Vandera's account we read "Solameco, y por otro nombre Chiaha." Gatschet derives this last from the Creek Suli miko, "Buzzard chief," but attention should be called to a similar name recorded by the De Soto chroniclers in the neighborhood of the lower Savannah. This is the Talimeco or Jalameco of Ranjel,1 and the Talomeco of Garcilasso. I venture the suggestion that all of these names are intended for the same word, Talimico or Talimiko, which again was probably from Creek Talwa immiko, "town its chief," -wa being uniformly dropped in composition. The name would probably be applied to an important town. While we do not know definitely that it was applied to the Chiaha among the Yamasee, the fact that a tribe by that name is mentioned as living in the immediate neighborhood may be significant. In fact I am inclined to believe that the Talimeco, Jalameco, or Talomeco of the chroniclers of De Soto were the southern band of Chiaha. If this were the case the first appearance of both Chiaha bands in history would be in the De Soto chronicles.

The Spaniards first learned of Talimeco from "the lady of Cofitachequi," who speaks of it as "my village,"3 but the expression as quoted by Ranjel hardly agrees with his later statement to the effect that "this Talimeco was a village holding extensive sway."3 The relation which Cofitachequi and Talimeco bore to each other is rather perplexing, but, discounting the tendency of the Spaniards to discover kings, emperors, and ruling and subjugated provinces, we may guess that the tribes were allied and on terms of perfect equality. Later we find the Chiaha and Kawita maintaining just such an alliance.

Ranjel says: "In the mosque, or house of worship, of Talimeco there were breastplates like corselets and headpieces made of rawhide, the hair stripped off; and also very good shields. This Talimeco was a village holding extensive sway; and this house of worship was on a high mound and much revered. The caney, or house of the chief, was very large, high, and broad, all decorated above and below with very fine, handsome mats, arranged so skilfully that' all these mats appeared to be a single one; and, marvellous as it seems, there was not a cabin that was not covered with mats. This people has many very fine fields and a pretty stream and a hill covered with walnuts, oak trees, pines, live oaks, and groves of liquid amber, and many cedars."4

Garcilasso is the only other chronicler who has much to say of Talimeco, or who even mentions its name. He says:
"Both sides of the road, from the camp to this town, were covered with trees, of which a part bore fruit, and it seemed as though they promenaded through an orchard, so that our men arrived with pleasure and without difficulty at Talomeco, which they found abandoned on account of the pest. Talomeco is a beautiful town, and quite noted, as it was the residence of the caciques. It is upon a small eminence near the river, and consists of five hundred well-built houses. That of the chief is elevated above the town, and is seen from a distance. It is also larger, stronger, and more agreeable than the others. Opposite this house is the temple, where are the coffins of the lords of the province. It is filled with riches, and built in a magnificent manner."

Gareilasso then devotes an entire chapter to a description of this temple, which, though evidently exaggerated, doubtless is true in outline. It is questionable whether these Chiaha belonged originally to the Yamasee proper or were one of the peoples of Guale. Probably the English trader spoke only in a general way, however, and we are not justified in drawing any other than a general inference as to the ancient location of the tribe. 
(Swanton)