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Among the Northwest Coast Indians (Tlingit, Haida, and others), potlatches traditionally are lavish community gatherings marking important events, such as funerals or marriages. In celebrations that often last many days, sumptuous meals are served; legends about clans and ancestors are sung and enacted with dances, masks, costumes, and drums; totem poles are often raised; and gifts are presented to all guests. Through this custom, cultural ties are renewed and strengthened.
Using details from historical potlatches, and skillfully weaving in legends about animals and spirits revered by Natives—Raven, Grizzly Bear, Salmon, Frog—Mary Beck creates a compelling account of the potlatch ceremony and its place in a community's celebration of life, death, and continuity.
“Beck presents a compelling account of the potlatch ceremony and its place in one community’s celebrations of life . . . she weaves in legends and gives a good picture of the Tlingits beliefs and a view of how their society worked and survived.”
—Debbie Carter, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
“Mary Giraudo Beck’s Potlatch is a rich anthropological history of the ceremonies of giving celebrated by the native peoples of Alaska, Canada, Washington, and Oregon. Using the tradition of storytelling, and help from Raven, her books brings to life these gatherings.”
—Elliott Bay Booknotes
Acknowledgments 4
INTRODUCTION 5
Raven Survives 12
CREMATION AND SMOKING FEAST 13
Raven Creates the Tides 22
PREPARATIONS 23
Raven and the Flood 34
THE INVITATION 35
Raven s Creations 44
HOUSE BUILDING 45
In the Whales Belly 54
WELCOME 55
Raven Sends Fish to the Streams 62
THE POTLATCH 63
Raven in a Fog 76
GIFTS AND PARTIES 77
Raven Loses His Beak 96
PRESTIGE POTLATCH 97
Raven and the Magic Seal Catcher 108
PEACE CEREMONY 109
Further Reading 126