Potlatch is a ceremony of feasting and gift giving practiced by Native American peoples of the Northwest Coast region of North America, including many First Nations peoples of Canada. The term comes from a Chinook word for giving away. People who practice these ceremonies have other terms for them. Potlatch traditions differed among groups. A potlatch was typically held to commemorate a major life event, such as a funeral, marriage, birth, or passage into adulthood. The ceremony could last for several days.
Native American leaders hosted potlatches with the help of fellow clan members. Guests included people from other clans or family groups or even neighboring tribes or First Nations. In the past, potlatches took place in plank longhouses elaborately carved with family and clan emblems called crests. For up to a year before the event, hosts would collect foods, blankets, baskets, and other goods to bring to the potlatch. Arriving guests would be impressed with displays of masks, decorated blankets, copper shields, and other elaborately carved items put on display to showcase the wealth of the hosts. For up to several days, participants took turns giving speeches, telling stories, honoring their ancestors, dancing, and feasting. The potlatch concluded with the host giving away all the items to the guests.
Potlatches served a vital function in Northwest Coast societies. They enabled leaders to strengthen bonds between clans and family groups by sharing goods. In return, the hosts achieved greater status through recognition of their generosity. Such generosity also served as a challenge to rivals to outdo the hosts at another potlatch. In addition, potlatches fostered alliances between groups. If a host or guest did not fulfill certain ceremonial duties, however, it could lead to feuding or war.
Settlers in the Pacific Northwest did not understand the practice of potlatching. They were confused by the showy displays and by the disposal of valuable goods. The settlers often forbade potlatches because they believed that the colorful masked dances and the burning of various items constituted pagan rituals. In 1884, the government of Canada officially outlawed potlatches through additions to the Indian Act of 1876. While many First Nations people stopped the practice, others continued to conduct potlatches in secret. The antipotlatch laws in Canada were not repealed until 1951.
Today, many Native American groups of the Northwest Coast region proudly continue the tradition of the potlatch. They regard the ceremony as a way to maintain their culture and to respect their ancestors. A modern potlatch can take years to plan and cost thousands of dollars.
