The Kwakiutl were the people of several related Native American groups who lived on or near Vancouver Island in what is now British Columbia, Canada. Traditionally, they held perhaps the most elaborate religious ceremonies of all American Indians.

Society and culture

The Kwakiutl built their villages along waterways. They lived in large rectangular houses made from planks of cedar wood. They also used cedar trunks to make dugout canoes. In these boats, they traveled from village to village to visit or trade.

The Kwakiutl obtained most of their food from the ocean and rivers. Using harpoons, nets, and traps, they caught salmon, cod, and halibut. Their hunters also stalked seals and sea otters on the water and deer and moose on the land. The Kwakiutl fished mostly in the spring and summer. Their catches were so large that had usually had extra fish, which they dried or preserved with smoke.

They devoted much of winter season to preparing and performing ceremonies. The ceremonies were overseen by secret societies. Only members knew the ritual songs and dances. They too were the only people allowed to wear certain dramatic ceremonial costumes. Many wore huge painted masks carved from wood. Some of the masks had moveable parts that, when opened, revealed another mask underneath. The Kwakiutl were also known for their tall totem poles, on which clan symbols were carved.

The Kwakiutl were famous for their ceremonial feasts known as potlatches. The family hosting a potlatch gave fine gifts to their guests. In doing so, they increased their prestige within the tribe. Potlatches were held to celebrate important occasions, such as a marriage or the birth of a child, or to make up for some offense against the tribe.

History

In the late 18th century, the Kwakiutl were first visited by British, American, and Russian traders. The Kwakiutl provided furs and welcomed trade goods such as steel carving tools.

Contact with non-Indians was limited until the mid-19th century, when settlers and missionaries began to arrive in the Kwakiutl lands. In the 1880s, the Kwakiutl were first visited by anthropologist Franz Boas. Much of what is known about the Kwakiutl's traditional culture comes from books Boas wrote.

Both the missionaries and Canadian officials wanted the Kwakiutl to give up their old ways. Potlatches were outlawed by the Canadian government between 1889 and 1951. Some of the treasures that were seized by the authorities in this period are now housed in the Kwakiutl Museum and the U'mista Cultural Center in British Columbia.

At the end of the 20th century, there were about 4,000 Kwakiutl in Canada. Most live on five tracts of land the Canadian government has reserved for their use. Many Kwakiutl continue to hold traditional potlatches and make a living by fishing.