the coastal indians · • village – the basic unit of political organization utilized by all...
TRANSCRIPT
The Coastal Indians
Geography of the Coastal Indians
Geography of the Coastal Indians
Google Earth Map of the Puget Sound
Geography of the Coastal Indians
Terminology and Concepts
Political Organization • Tribe – A group of people that speak a similar language, share a common
culture and recognize one another as belonging to the same people.
• Band – A unit of political organization used by some tribes but not all.
• Village – The basic unit of political organization utilized by all Indian tribes.
• Chief – The recognized leader of an Indian political unit. The powers and status of a chief vary widely depending on culture region, tribe, and traditions. There are numerous chiefs at all levels of Indian organization.
Terminology and Concepts
Indian Spirituality • Believe in an extensive spiritual world – Everything has a spirit
• The world is multi-dimensional
• The spirit world interacts with the human world on a daily basis
• A successful life is about negotiating the needs and demands of the spirits
• Believe that the Earth is their mother and nourishes them
• As a result, they cannot own land – Cannot own their mother
• Deceased ancestors become part of the land and the spirit world
• Daily Life is a spiritual exercise, but there are some important festivals and periods in a person’s life
• Shaman – An individual who is perceived to have a special connection to the spirit world and can help interpret the will of the spirits and Earth.
Coastal Politics and Political Organization
• The Coastal Indians were organized into tribes
• Tribes were divided into villages
• Villages were largely autonomous
• Abundance of resources allowed Coastal Indians to be sedentary
• Also meant that they required smaller amounts of territory
• All villages headed by a chief
• Chiefs were male and hereditary positions
• Chiefs have vast political and legal powers
• Every village had a chief
• A tribe might have multiple chiefs; not all chiefs equal
Coastal Society
• Important to understand the definition of society
• Coastal society was quite rigid
• Defined social classes
• Social class determined by birth
• Coastal society was fairly patriarchal
• Coastal Social Classes: 1.) Chiefs
2.) Nobles
3.) Commoners
4.) Slaves
• Slavery a component of Northwest Coastal society and economy
• Slave raids and wars
Coastal Culture
Coastal Culture
The Totem Pole
• Totem Poles are commonly misunderstood
• Represent a family
• Every image is sacred to the family
• Has a spiritual component
• Work on a totem pole done in secret
• Craftsmen were highly respected
• Raising a totem pole required religious celebration
Whaling
The Potlatch
• Potlatch is a religious celebration unique to the Coastal Indians
• Potlatches could be called for any number of events
• Involved the giving away of wealth
• Demonstration of the wealth and power of a chief
• Sign of the material, cultural, and economic wealth of the Coastal Indians
• Involved song, dance, food, games, stories, and the like