SS9 – Crossroads
- Nations5 – Peoples of the Northwest Coast
The Peoples of the Northwest Coast
The coast of B.C. has been inhabited for over 10,00 years and the lower mainland supported some of the largest native populations in the country.
Northwest Coast nations like the Haida and the coastal
Salish developed very intricate art and dances.
The NW Coast was rich in food supply and clan leaders often “shared the wealth” during elaborate Potlatch ceremonies.
Animals played an important part of the NW Coastal peoples spirituality and often families would claim descent from a mythical ancestor that was associated with an animal.
The NW Coastal peoples wintered in large cedar long houses but moved around during the rest of the year.
Co-operation and intermarriage amongst different coastal nations was not uncommon and this type of bilateral kinship allowed families from different nations or tribes an opportunity to share in the resources of one another.

SS9 – Crossroads
-
Nations5 – The Peoples of the Northwest Coast
The Peoples of the Northwest Coast
Directions: Read pages 205-209 in your text Crossroads – A Meeting of
Nations.
1. On a separate piece of paper, provide definitions for the following terms; rank status; position in a group
Potlatch traditional ceremony practiced by many aboriginal peoples of the
Pacific Northwest Coast. Potlatch is Chinook, meaning “to give”. The gifts of a potlatch are payments to those who witness a family ceremony
Ceremonially with dignity, observing the occasion
Concentration the measure of how many people there are relative to the space they occupy (ie the concentration of people in Canada is 3.2/km 2 (230th in the world), the density of Japan is 337/km 2 (32th in the world), #1 in the world is Macau 18,428/km2 (special administrative unit in China like Hong Kong)
Bilateral Kinship ancestry is reckoned through the mother’s and father’s families
2. On a separate piece of paper, answer the following questions using COMPLETE
SENTENCES; a) How were some of the peoples of the Northwest Coast similar to the Europeans of the Middle Ages? *hint – Who owned the wealth and who did most of the work? (2 mks for quality of thought)
1. Rank and privilege were important…Nobles had the rights to resources and privilege was handed down in the family.
2. Many people in a town were commoners who lacked prestige or privilege.
3. Slaves were part of the population b) In your own words, describe the importance of either the Totem Pole or the ritual dances of the Northwest Coastal peoples. (2 mks for quality of description and details)
1. totem poles were used by each clan to tell the story of its origins and deeds.
2. ritual dances were important because they reminded people of the importance of each clan and told the legends of each clan. c) Describe how the peoples of the Northwest coast made use of the cedar tree.
(2 mks for details and quality of response)

1. houses
2. canoes d) In your own words, describe how the peoples of the Northwest coast lived from season to season. (2 mks for quality of description and inclusion of details)
Food had to be collected from different sites at different times of the year, so they moved around their area…called a “seasonal round”
Winter…lived in large permanent villages..little hunting and gathering. They maked tools, told tales, etc.
Spring…stored supplies were diminishing so they began to move around to collect what food was available..shellfish, mussels, clams, oysters.
Summer, ..salmon, shellfins, birds, plant foods (salmon berries and huckleberries.)
Fall…salmon ..dried the fish, Indian potato from marshes of the Lower Fraser
3. Examine the intricate designs and colors of the Bella Coola paddles found on page 206 of your text Crossroads – A Meeting of Nations, and using the paddle shape found opposite, create your own Northwest Coastal design.
You will be marked out of 5 for quality of effort put into your design.
Total: ____ / 18