The Northwest Coast

1. The Northwest Coast Chapter 2, Lesson 4 4-2.2

2. Rich Resources • The Northwest Coast cultural region has plentiful natural resources. - Its forests contained many tall, sturdy cedar trees. - The forests were rich in game for hunting. - The coastal waters and rivers were filled with fish and seals. • The people of the Northwest Coast did not have to grow crops for food. They got all they needed from hunting and gathering.

3. Potlatches • With such a wealth of resources, the tribes were able to hold potlatches. • A potlatch is a party that a host holds and gives presents to its guests. There is a lot of singing, dancing, and feasting that could last for days. • Potlatch comes from a Chinook (shuh NUK) word meaning “to give away.”

4. Tribes • The tribes included the Kwakiutl(kwahkee OO tuhl), the Tlingit, the Haida, and the Nootka. • Displaying a wealth and generosity was very important in Kwakiutl culture. • Common shields and stacks of blankets were common gifts. A single guest at a potlatch might be given as many as 20 blankets.

5. The Natural Resource- Wood • The totem pole, a carved post with animals or other images representing a person’s ancestors, was another way to show wealth. • Some totem poles were as tall as a four-story building and they proudly displayed their totem poles.

6. Also, a carver would use a single cedar log to make a dugout canoe. The Kwakiutl used such canoes to hunt at sea. They would hunt seals, sea otters, and even whales. • Such prey provided meat for food, furs for clothing, and oil for lamps and heating.

7. Homes • The forests’ cedar trees supplied the Kwakiutl with sturdy housing. • Logs provided the upright posts for a house and its roof beams. • Planks cut from logs formed the walls and roof.

8. Clothing • Thanks to a mild coastal climate, the Kwakiutl could often wear light clothing. • Kwakiutl women wove cedar bark into a fabric. Then, they made it into skirts for themselves and long shirts for the men. • The Kwakiutl also wore clothing made of buckskin, taken from deer. • In colder weather, they put on animal furs.

9. Shaman • A shaman was a person people came to when they were not feeling well. They believed the shaman could cure them. Both men and women could be shamans. • Kwakiutl shamans sometimes performed dancing ceremonies. They wore carved masks. As they danced, they could change their appearance by opening or closing parts of the masks.

11. Customs and Traditions • During these Shaman dances, special effects often made the dances more exciting. • Hidden performers made wooden birds swoop down on the audience. • At the end, a dancer might vanish in a puff of smoke. • Because food was plentiful, the Kwakiutl had plenty of time to create beautiful objects- masks, rattles, and serving dishes were carved from wood and decorated with paint. • The objects reflected the Kwakiutls’ respect for the spirits they felt around them.

12. The Kwakiutl Today • Today, only about 4,000 Kwakiutl Native Americans survive. • The forests and the sea remain important in their lives. • Most of the men work in logging, construction, or fishing. • Powerboats have replaced their cedar canoes. • Newer building methods have replaced traditional cedar houses. • Both medical doctors and shamans serve the people. • The Kwakiutl still give potlatches today.