Since You Asked: The correct pronunciation of Coquille Tribe

So what's the deal with the Coquille tribe and how its name is pronounced? For years we've always pronounced the city name, the river name and the tribal name as "ko-keel"; now we find out it's supposed to be "ko-kwel." How come?

— Lewis H., Medford

We've had your question bouncing around in our files for awhile now, Lewis, so when members of the Coquille tribe came to pay us a visit recently, we took the opportunity to ask them.

Turns out that there are two ways to pronounce the name, depending on whether you are talking about the tribe or the city and river. According to Brenda Meade, tribal council chairwoman, when you are discussing the tribe, the correct pronunciation is "ko-kwel."

That, she said, is a way of honoring the traditions of the tribe and its elders.