Potlatch
Gift-giving feast central to Indigenous governance and economy.
Potlatch is a ceremonial feast centered on gift-giving, practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, including the Heiltsuk, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Coast Salish. Among these groups, it traditionally functions as the primary form of government, lawmaking, and economic organization. Similar practices exist among Interior and Subarctic peoples near the Northwest Coast, though those usually lack the elaborate rituals and gift-based economy of coastal communities.
At a potlatch, a leader displays wealth and power by giving away or destroying valuable items. The ceremony also reaffirms family, clan, and international ties, as well as connections to the supernatural world. It serves as a strict system for managing resources, where coastal groups discuss, negotiate, and confirm rights to specific territories and resources. Events typically include music, dancing, singing, storytelling, speeches, and often joking and games. Honoring the supernatural and reciting oral histories are central to many potlatches.
The Canadian government outlawed potlatches from 1885 to 1951, but the practice continued secretly despite the threat of mandatory jail sentences of at least two months. Anthropologists have also studied it extensively. After decriminalization in 1951, the potlatch re-emerged in some communities. In many places, it remains the foundation of Indigenous governance—for example, the Haida Nation bases its democracy on potlatch law.
The word comes from Chinook Jargon, meaning "to give away" or "a gift," and originates from the Nuu-chah-nulth word *paɬaˑč*, meaning to make a ceremonial gift in a potlatch.
Potlatches were held for births, deaths, adoptions, weddings, and other major events. They typically took place in winter, since warmer months were spent gathering wealth for the family, clan, or village, which was then shared with neighbors and friends. In Kwakwaka'wakw culture, the event was hosted by a *numaym*, or "House"—a complex kin group of about one hundred members, usually led by aristocrats but including commoners and sometimes slaves. Several *numayma* formed a nation. Each House drew its identity from an ancestral founder, often a mythical animal that removed its animal mask upon descending to earth and became human. That mask became a family heirloom, passed from father to son a
- practiced_by
- Heiltsuk, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, Coast Salish, and others
- primary_function
- Governmental institution, legislative body, economic system, resource management regime
- key_activities
- Gift-giving, wealth destruction, music, dancing, singing, storytelling, speeches, joking, games
- criminalization_period
- 1885 to 1951 in Canada
- origin_of_word
- Chinook Jargon, from Nuu-chah-nulth paɬaˑč
- typical_occasions
- Births, deaths, adoptions, weddings, coming-of-age, title transfers
Lore & Background
A potlatch was held on the occasion of births, deaths, adoptions, weddings, and other major events. Typically the potlatch was practiced more in the winter seasons as historically the warmer months were for procuring wealth for the family, clan, or village, then coming home and sharing that with neighbors and friends. The event was hosted by a numaym, or 'House', in Kwakwaka'wakw culture. A numaym was a complex cognatic kin group usually headed by aristocrats, but including commoners and occasional slaves. It had about one hundred members and several would be grouped together into a nation. The House drew its identity from its ancestral founder, usually a mythical animal who descended to earth and removed his animal mask, thus becoming human. The mask became a family heirloom passed from father to son along with the name of the ancestor himself. This made him the leader of the numaym, considered the living incarnation of the founder.
Only rich people could host a potlatch. Tribal slaves were not allowed to attend a potlatch as a host or a guest. In some instances, it was possible to have multiple hosts at one potlatch ceremony. If a member of a nation had suffered an injury or indignity, hosting a potlatch could help to heal their tarnished reputation. The potlatch was the occasion on which titles associated with masks and other objects were 'fastened on' to a new office holder. Two kinds of titles were transferred: ranked 'seats' within a numaym granting rights to territories, and titles passed between numayma, usually to in-laws, giving roles in the Winter Ceremonial. Gifts included Chilkat blankets, animal skins, Hudson Bay blankets, ornamental 'coppers', and preserved food.
Reader's Guide
The potlatch served as the primary governmental institution, legislative body, and economic system for many Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. It was a strict resource management regime where coastal peoples discussed, negotiated, and affirmed rights to and uses of specific territories and resources. From 1885 to 1951, the Government of Canada criminalized potlatches, but the practice persisted underground despite mandatory jail sentences of at least two months. Since decriminalization in 1951, the potlatch has re-emerged in some communities and remains the bedrock of Indigenous governance in nations such as the Haida, which has rooted its democracy in potlatch law. The potlatch also reinforced hierarchical relations within and between clans, villages, and nations through the distribution or destruction of wealth, dance performances, and other ceremonies. The status of any given family is raised not by who has the most resources, but by who distributes the most resources. The word comes from the Chinook Jargon, meaning 'to give away' or 'a gift', originally from the Nuu-chah-nulth word paɬaˑč.
Did You Know?
- The word 'potlatch' comes from the Chinook Jargon, meaning 'to give away' or 'a gift', originally from the Nuu-chah-nulth word paɬaˑč.
- From 1885 to 1951, the Government of Canada criminalized potlatches, with mandatory jail sentences of at least two months.
- The potlatch served as a strict resource management regime for discussing, negotiating, and affirming rights to territories and resources.
- Among the Kwakwaka'wakw, a potlatch was hosted by a numaym, a cognatic kin group of about one hundred members.
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