Chechakos

/tʃəˈtʃɑːkoʊz/ noun

Definition

Plural of chechako; multiple newcomers or inexperienced people, especially in the Yukon and Alaskan gold rush context.

Etymology

From 'chechako' (from Chinook Jargon) + English plural '-s'. The pluralization anglicizes the Chinook term for use in English historical and colloquial narratives.

Kelly Says

Stories of the Klondike Gold Rush are full of chechakos—groups of wide-eyed fortune hunters unprepared for Yukon winters. Old-timers distinguished themselves from these 'chechakos,' creating a neat social hierarchy based on experience. The word survives in historical narratives and Alaskan vocabulary.

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