NOOTKA INDIANS IN CANADA

THE NOOTKA ARE KNOWN AS THE NUN-CHAI-NULTH. THEY LIVED ON THE COAST OF VANCOUVER ISLAND AND OLYMPIC PENNISULA OF WASHINGTON. THEIR NAME NOOTKA REFERS TO ALL SPEAKERS OF WAKASHAN LANGUAGE. THEY ARE LOCATED ON THE COAST AND GET 100" OF RAIN PER YEAR.

THEY HAD AN ABUNDANCE OF ELK, DEER, BEAR AND LARGE WATERFOWL. THEIR STAPLE DIET INCLUDED SALMON, NUTS, ROOTS, FERNS, LUPINE, BERRIES. WHATEVER GREW NATURALLY THEY GATHERED. MUCH COULD BE DRIED FOR WINTER USE. SALMON WAS TRAPPED WITH NETS. IN SUMMER THEIR SEVERAL VILLAGES WERE BY THE BEACHES SO THEY COULD ENGAGE IN FISHING AND CATCHING SEA ANIMALS. FISH OIL WOULD SERVE THREE PURPOSES - A VALUABLE TRADE ITEM, SIGNIFIES WEALTH, AND A DIP FOR EVERY MORSEL OF FOOD. SHELLFISH WITHIN THE SHORES WERE GATHERED IN QUANTITIES. WHALING TOOK PLACE IN THE SUMMER.

THEIR HOUSES RANGED FROM 40' TO 100' IN LENGTH AND 30 TO 40 FEET IN WIDTH. THEY WERE BUILT FROM CEDAR BEAMS AND HAND SPLIT BOARDS. THEY WERE OCCUPIED ALL WINTER AND ALL SPRING. THEY COULD BE TRANSPORTED FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE. THE CHIEF OF EACH LINEAGE WOULD OCCUPY THE RIGHT REAR CENTER. AND THEY HAD STORAGE BOXES STACKED AT THE BOUNDARIES. EARLY TRAVELERS WERE DISGUSTED FROM THE EARLY NOOTKAN'S UNCLEANLINESS. APPARENTLY THEY LEFT FISH ENTRAILS IN THEIR HOUSE!

THE MEN IN THE SUMMER ONLY WORE A FEW ORNAMENTS. THE WOMEN WORE SKIRTS FROM SHREDDED CEDAR BARK. IN RAINY WEATHER THEY BOTH WORE CEDAR BARK ROBES. THEY USUALLY WENT BAREFOOT. THEY MADE MASKS OF CEDAR AND HEADRESSES OF VARIOUS ANIMALS. THEIR SOCIETY WAS EXTREMELY ELITIST. THEY HAVE SLAVES FROM ANOTHER TRIBE.

POTLATCH WAS THE GREAT CEREMONY OF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF THE COAST INDIANS. IT UPDATED AN INDIVIDUAL'S RANK, AND DISTRIBUTED GIFTS. THE MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE HAD CERTAIN SEATS ON THE LONGHOUSE. ANOTHER PART OF THE POTLATCH WAS TO VALADATE PRIVILEDGES OR EXCHANGE SURPLUS. THESE WERE THE BEST TIMES FOR SOCIAL GROUPS AND WERE EQUALLY GOOD TO KNOW THE EVOLUTION OF AN ELDEST SON TO MATURITY.

CHILDBIRTH WAS A SPECIAL EVENT AND TOOK PLACE IN A SPECIAL HUT. FOR THE FIRST FOUR DAYS THEY HAVE TO STAY SECLUDED. THEY WOULD ONLY CORRECT CHILDREN BY TALKING TO THEM. WHEN TWO INDIVIDUALS DECIDED TO MARRY IT WAS AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES. THE PROPOSAL WAS PERFORMED BY THE BOY'S PARENTS. THE MARRIAGE WOULD TAKE PLACE AND THE GIRL WOULD LIVE WITH THE GROOM'S FAMILY. THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IN A GOD YET THEY DID BELIEVE IN SUPERNATURALS.


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