The Kwakiutl Of The North Pacific Coast - 1290 Words

The Kwakiutl of The North Pacific Coast is a group that encompases many distinct and extraordinary aspects of a North American native culture. Setting The Kwakiutl mainly reside in the geographical region of the North Pacific Coast. Stretching along the coast of present day British Columbia. This area begins near the southern border of Alaska; from the Juan de Fuca Strait and extends down south to Yakutat Bay. This region is overlaid with a diverse landscape that has greatly impacted the Kwakiutl way of life. The multitude of resource available to the Kwakiutl has prominently sustain practically every aspect of their culture and society. The ever changing layout of this area created an impenetrable home for the Kwakiutl to inhabit. The coast is shattered with numerous islands and key rivers such as the Columbia, Salmon, and Bella Coola. This opens up a system of travel, commerce, and also creating very strict opportunities for other cultural influences. With the surrounding area thick in dense forests and rugged terrain that includes mountain ranges to valleys rich with life sustaining variables such as wild game, plants, timber, and potential settlement. This varied landscape also greatly isolated the Kwakiutl, making it difficult for any outside influences or possible threats to their way of life, F. Boas 1966, page 7. With the vast variety of natural resources this area offers it has abundantly supported the needs to sustain a way of life for the Kwakiutl. NumerousShow MoreRelatedTotem Poles1130 Words   |  5 PagesPeople believe that totems originated around the Northwest Pacific Coast where Native Americans had specific rules and traditions about how they were made and used. Although no one knows for sure how long the Native Americans have been living in the North America region, it is known that their culture is very much centered around their spiritual beliefs as individual families and clans. Despite the common belief that totem poles represent Native American gods, in many tribes they were used to representRead MoreKwakiutl Tribal Mask of the Pacific Northwest Essay1099 Words   |  5 PagesThe Kwakiutl Indian tribe existed before the discovery of North America by the European culture and inhabited the coast of the Pacific Northwest of the United States and British Columbia in Canada. The tribe is rich in tradition and culture and has remained steadfast in their beliefs, history, teachings and artisan skills which have been passed down generation to generation. The artisans in the Kwakiutl tribe mastered the art of creating special ceremonial masks that are not only beautiful and aestheticallyRead MoreMy Visit to the American Museum of Natural History Essay3048 Words   |  13 PagesThe three Halls that I visited at the American Museum of Natural History were: Halls of the Pacific Peoples, Northwest Coast Indians and Asian peoples. All of these Halls were distinctly different from each other, although I enjoyed viewing all three, my favorite Hall was that of Asian Peoples. Of special interest was the Hall of Northwest Coast Indians, since I was able to witness and play in my head, a reel of the transformations it has gone through since the time of Franz Boas, as described