How (greeting)

The word "How" or "Howgh" is a word used as a greeting, or particle in the sense of I have spoken, in some Native American languages, and in their popular representations. It is a part of popular depictions of Native Americans in various novels, e.g. those of James Fenimore Cooper or Karl May.

The Oxford English Dictionary OED uses [haːʊ̯] ("how") for the spelling, and claims Jean de Brébeuf had described the use of the term as an interjection of approval with the Wyandot (Hurons). De Brébeuf described individual speakers using Condayauendi Ierhayde cha nonhwicwahachen to signify the end of their speaking, which was answered by the community with a long "Hooow".

Longman Webster describes Howgh as greeting of the Sioux; giving "Háu kola" (Hallo friend) as a Lakota Sioux greeting. However, it would be the only Lakota term using a diphthong and is probably of external origin. Dakota and Omaha Sioux use slightly different versions. Francis Parkman, in his book The Oregontrail gives a first-person account of three weeks spent hunting buffalo, with a band of Oglala Sioux, in 1846. He mentions their use of "How". Today, neither in the Hurons, nor the Lakota, use the term, as by 1900 "Good Morning" was the preferred greeting.

Karl May uses Howgh similar to the Schweizerdeutsch closing particle "Ha gschlosse", which is used by the speaker to indicate they are done speaking. In both cases, the term expresses a strict Rule of Order, and a longing for consensus.

...
Wikipedia