Clayton Young | @smartguy_92
"Native American heritage celebration" by The U.S. Army is marked with CC BY 2.0.
The celebration of the potlatch is highly held in many Indigenous circles, symbolizing family, sharing resources, and mutual family help. After the federal potlatch ban in Canada in 1884, the Indigenous population’s way of life was thrown into upheaval under the threat of imprisonment. The Indigenous community celebrated the potlatch as a means to celebrate the community, and after the federal ban, turned to the assimilation of white culture to protect their heritage.
The social and political purposes of the potlatch cannot be understated because it is such an important event for Indigenous populations. Not only does it solidify the power of the chief or leader of the tribe, but it also emphasizes community cooperation and reinforces the familial structure of a tribe. Needless to say, potlatches are simply one of the most important celebrations within an Indigenous population’s calendar. The celebration of a potlatch, or ‘pasa, is relatively simple. It’s a ceremony where chiefs and wealthy individuals communally share their material objects collected from the past year since the last potlatch, and give them to the community, thereby leaving themselves with very little at the end. Dr. Israel Wood Powell, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in British Colombia writes about the Ligwilda’xw tribe’s celebration of the potlatch prior to the ban, through a Euro-centric lens. “Chiefship is generally maintained by ‘potlatches’ and the more a chief can donate or ‘potlatch’, the greater his power and popularity. To accumulate food, blankets, etc. for this purpose, a chief will often not only deprive himself of the necessaries of life but allow his family to suffer from want, practicing meantime the most rigid and miserly economy”[1] . Powell does bring some insight to the table, albeit through a white and capitalistic bias. It is true that positions of power are upheld by a chief’s ability to throw a potlatch, and that he and his family likely go through some hardships in order to make the potlatch a successful celebration. Where his bias gets in the way, however, is his suggestion that suffering from want makes for a miserable economy between potlatches. While chiefs and their families are likely not ‘living the high life’ while between potlatches, Powell fails to understand that mutual community support is what Indigenous tribes flourish on, not simply hoarding materials until the potlatch. Powell’s bias comes from his Industrial Capitalist mindset that everyone must work to provide for themselves, rather than taking some sacrifices for personal wellbeing so that everyone can partake in riches and prestige materials. Powell’s capitalist bias comes into fruition with his statement that “’ Potlatches’. . . not only [inhibit] civilizing influences but encourage idleness among the less worthy members of a tribe”[2]. His critique doesn’t stem from a desire to keep people fed regardless of a big celebration, but rather he doesn’t like the potlatch because it emphasizes community mutual support, and a strong community doesn’t cave to Western ideology so quickly.
In 1884, the Indian Act was amended across what is now Canada, and the punishment for creating a potlatch celebration was between two to six months in prison. The law also described the study or the encouragement of the potlatch as subjective to the same sentence as creating the celebration. According to Tilted Ground, the law was widely ignored at first, and rightfully so. The act of forbidding a celebration, especially one associated with the life and freedoms of an Indigenous population, is despicable, but it’s also part of a long history of stripping Indigenous populations of their cultures and customs while forcing them to assimilate to Euro-centric customs. Colonialism at its finest. However, despite the threats of a Man-of-War ship to disrupt centuries of tradition[3], the Ligwilda’xw face down these threats, seemingly unnerved by threats of cannon fire. “It is a strict law that binds us to dance. It is a strict law that bids us to distribute our property among our friends and neighbors. It is a good law. Let the white man observe his law; We shall observe ours. And no, if you have come to forbit us to dance, begone…If not, you will be welcome to us.”[4]. This line of dialogue is crucial in understanding the importance the potlatch has to the Indigenous people of British Colombia, namely by the courage displayed by the chief. Under the threat of cannon fire, the chief stares down Boas, the anthropologist, and declares that the ways of his ancestors will be honored, no matter the opposition.
In this case, the opposition is encroaching on white culture and assimilation. 1891 represents a shift in how the Ligwilda’xw tribe deals with the illegal celebration of the potlatch. Billy the chief of the tribe, begrudgingly starts to adopt the ways of the white people of the region, albeit with an emphasis on protecting their culture and heritage at the same time. “We will face many challenges in the future. The government has declared our way of life illegal. . . We will continue our traditions. . .our feasts. But we must also learn the new ways. . .. Our children must learn English. Here., we don’t want our children going to a residential school.”[5] Using the English language, Billy and his tribe manage to negotiate deals around town for a more prosperous life, including negotiating the right to fish with modern equipment, fair prices for fish, and better wages. This shift into paid wage labor also marked a distinct shift in how celebrations of potlatches were done. More English money meant more colonial goods could be exchanged at potlatches. Using white culture and Indigenous knowledge to their advantage, the Ligwilda’xw manage to assimilate just enough to lower suspicions about their celebrations of the potlatch. When Indian agents patrol their land more harshly on lookout for potlatches, the Ligwilda’xw simply repeat Christian hymens to camouflage their potlatch preparations[6]. In order to discourage Indian agents from patrolling too close, the tribe uses rendered T’lina to create a stink bomb of sorts and inclement weather to deter Agents from patrol.
Despite the federal ban during the late 19th century, the Ligwilda’xw population managed to keep their heritage alive through assimilation and camouflage to fool the white Agents that were on the hunt for illegal potlatches. Although the introduction of paid wage labor negatively impacted how much the Indigenous population could splurge on their potlatches, the adoption of white ways earned them better pay and ‘respect’ around town, and that expanded budget allowed for more colonial goods to take part in potlatches.
Works Cited:
Assu, Sonny. Charles, Kyle. Titled Ground, Highwater Press, 2018
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