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Pacific Northwest Indians
Pacific Northwest Indians
Jacob N
May 2, 2019
Location
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The Pacific Northwest Indians territories were a thin strip ranging from Washington State all the way up to Alaska, giving them many diverse environments
Location & Environment
Map
Environment
The Pacific Northwest Native Americans lived in many diverse environments due to their long strand of territory. Some of their territory consisted of coastlines. These bordered the pacific ocean, an important part of their territory. Mountains could be found in their territories near the coast. They had forests, consisting of spruce, cedar, and fir. They also had rivers and lakes found inland.
Environment
Food & Hunting
The Indians of the Pacific Northwest hunted a wide variety of animals using a variety of hunting methods.
Relying mainly on rivers & oceans, they were very skilled fishers. They hunted almost any animal that lived in their territory, being some of the most skilled hunters of their time.
Food & Hunting
Food
The People of the Northwest Coast ate a variety of foods, many of which came form the ocean. Some ocean animals they ate were crabs, oysters, sea otters, seals, turtles, a variety of fish, and sometimes even whales. They also hunted food from rivers. They commonly hunted salmon during their migration period, where thousands could be found in a single river. Sometimes the native americans hunted bears if the need was great. They also acquired deer, elk, and goats form forests. To preserve meat over winter, it was smoked over a fire to remove moisture, therefore preventing rot. The people of the Northwest did not need agriculture, since there was plenty of food in their area.
Hunting Methods
The people of the northwest were skilled fishers, with unique fishing methods. One method was for two men two go to a stream. One would scatter the fish with a spear, and the other would try to skewer them. Using this method, people could catch enough fish to feed a family for a year. The people of the northwest also used snares. A snare was a rope, on one end was a tree (tied down to the ground), and on the other end was a stake in the ground, with a loop in the middle. When a small animal jumped through, the force would cause the tree to spring up, and the loop would tighten around the animal from the force. The people of the Pacific Northwest were skilled hunters and were very sophisticated for their time.
Hunting Methods
Shelter
The People of the Pacific Northwest lived in longhouses in permanent villages, since food was plentiful in their regions. Their houses were very well made, with sturdy exteriors and sophisticated interiors.
Shelter
Exterior
The Pacific Northwest People's longhouses were constructed from cedar planks and could range from 50-150 feet long and 20-60 feet wide. Each longhouse contained several families, all were part of a clan. Each longhouse had a totem pole in front of it, which showed which clan lived in the house. The totem poles were hand carved, some were 50 feet tall.
Interior
The interior was simple, with few furniture. Each family had bunk bed, with shelves on top for storage, and holes underneath them to store food. Each family had a small fireplace to cook. Woven mats hung from the ceiling so each family could have a separate area
Clothing
Clothing
The People of the Pacific Northwest had different garments for specific times. Chiefs and Shamans wore decorated clothes with stone and animal jewelry. In the summer, male commoners usually did not wear clothes, and females had birch skirts. In the winter commoners wore simple wool sweaters to keep warm. Cedar capes were worn to keep off rain, along with large rimmed birch hats. The People of the Pacific Northwest had masks for ceremonies, each with it's own unique look and function.
Dugout Canoes
Besides walking, the People of the Pacific Northwest only form of transportation was by canoe. Their canoes were carved from large cedar trees. Cedars in the area could grow up to 80 feet tall, and did not have many branches. This made them ideal trees to make canoes with. The trees were cut down and split in half. The center was burned and then hollowed out. The smallest canoes could fit 2-4 people, which were usually used for single families or short outings. Larger canoes could fit a total of 50 people and could carry 10,000 pounds of cargo, which were used for large fishing trips with many people or traveling to big events.
Dugout
Canoes
Potlatches
Potlatches
Potlatches were held to celebrate an exiting event, such as a birth, marriage, or completion of a house. In a potlatch, people under the command of the chief would gather in a ceremonial longhouse, known as a Big House. A feast was held to celebrate the special event. There were dances and acts performed, and there were special masks for potlatches. Gifts were given by the chief to show his people how successful he was. If an important person, like a chief or shaman, had an embarrassing moment, a dignity potlatch would be held. The People of the Pacific Northwest believed when someone was laughed at, they lost all of their dignity. A dignity potlatch could be held so that they may gain some of their dignity back.
Art & Music
The People of the Pacific Northwest were very creative. They came up with intriguing methods of crafting that were very intricate for their time. They created unique music that was used at ceremonies and in plays. The People of the Pacific Northwest had truly amazing art and music.
Art & Music
Art
The People of the Pacific Northwest had very unique art. They made baskets by weaving soaked bark strips. These baskets could be used to carry clams that could be used for food. The people carved wood boxes which were used for storage. These had designs on them as a way to mark the box. Beautifully patterned blankets could be woven from bark and used as clothing. The People of the Pacific Northwest had some of the most amazing artisans.
Art
Music
Whistle
Music from the People of the Pacific Northwest had simple yet elegant music. Drums were a primary component of the music. Hand carved whistles and drum rolls in music were associated with spirits in some way. Instruments, especially rattles, was sometimes used in shaman's healing practices. The music created by the People of the Pacific Northwest is very unique, and has many religious associations.
Music
Raven's Rattle
Religion
Since People of the Pacific Northwest had no written language, all of their religious traditions were passed down orally. They had stories on why the world was a certain way. The People of the Pacific Northwest believed that they were always surrounded by spirits and supernatural beings that could interfere with the natural world. The People believed that everything had some connection to the spiritual world, whether it be the chief or a fish.
Shamans were believed to hold the power to connect directly with spirits.
Shamans
Shamans were people of high importance that could directly connect with the spirits. It was a shamans job to cure those who are ill, first by treating them with herbal remedies, then by performing certain rituals that may involve music or motions. The people believed when one was ill, they lost connection to the spirit world, which only the shaman could fix. Both men and women could be shamans, however most shamans were men. Shamans wore bearskin robes and may have rattles or drums for curing the sick. If one was very ill, the shaman may wear a special mask. Their rattles were used to call upon the spirits for help.