#Pacific northwest tribes full

It means that clan membership was based on the mother's clan, and that property was owned by the women and passed down from mothers to their children. But the bans were lifted in the 1950s, and now many tribes continue the tradition.Īnother interesting part of Pacific Northwestern culture is that many of the tribes were matrilineal. and Canadian governments, who saw them as a waste of wealth and resources. Potlatches were banned in the 1800s by the U.S. Image by James Gilchrist Swan, via Wikimedia Commons, is in the public domain. The party would go on for many days with much feasting, storytelling, and dancing. The feast would celebrate some important event, such as the raising of a totem pole, and the host would distribute some of his wealth by giving the guests many gifts. A potlatch was a great feast given by a wealthy man, to which he would invite many guests. The Northwest people developed a rich variety of ceremonies and rituals. Inside the Collections: Pacific Northwest Coast Peoples from American Museum of Natural History: Explore some of these works of art at Infinity of Nations from Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian before watching the video below. They created-and still create-very colorful, stylized art. Watch Totem Poles | Native America | PBS to learn more:Īlong with totem poles, Northwestern natives also carved other things out of wood. Kwakiutl Native Americans of the Northwest from Tom Janssens:Īs you learned at the beginning of the lesson, one of the main art forms the Northwest people developed was the totem pole. You'll use this information later in the Got It? section. Throughout the lesson, write down what you learn about the homes, food, skills, natural resources, languages, and culture of these tribes. Watch the following video for an introduction to the Pacific Northwest tribes. Image by Spacenut525, via Wikimedia Commons, was released into the public domain. They lived in the areas from the southern coast of Alaska to what is now Oregon state. They were able to meet all their basic needs, so they had time to devote to art, culture, and trade.

#Pacific northwest tribes full

The Pacific Northwest tribes had forests filled with animals to hunt, trees for building houses, and waterways full of fish to eat.