Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . attachedto frame sot with sea-lionbristles, and with trailer or-namented with weaselskins. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 641 On the following day all the property was given away bj^ the chiefto his guests. Then the sister or the mother of the head chief gavepresents to the women of the tribes—marten-skin garments, aba-lone ear-ornaments, scores of carved maple dishes, scores of largehorn spoons, and many other thmgs besides. This was to help herbrother wearmg the crest hat. For this reason the crest h
Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . attachedto frame sot with sea-lionbristles, and with trailer or-namented with weaselskins. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 641 On the following day all the property was given away bj^ the chiefto his guests. Then the sister or the mother of the head chief gavepresents to the women of the tribes—marten-skin garments, aba-lone ear-ornaments, scores of carved maple dishes, scores of largehorn spoons, and many other thmgs besides. This was to help herbrother wearmg the crest hat. For this reason the crest hats werecalled a certain amount of property, according to the amount givenaway at the potlatcli. In potlatches the valuable coppers were also bought and sold,or broken to express the chiefs lavish disregard of the distinction ofvalues. For the same i-eason slaves were killed and canoes broken. In feasts a fixed order of procedure was adhered to. The people satin regular order. The hosts would sit on the right-hand side of thehouse or in the middle of the house; the guests, on the sides. Women. Fig. 24. Chiefs rattle. sang, accompanying the dancers. They were seated m rows on aplatform in the rear of the house. Mr. Tate continues: The women were dressed in beautiful garments, with earrings ofcostly abalone shells, and faces painted red and black, with eagle,down on their heads. The princesses of the chieftainess would siton the floor; and one particularly capable man, who was the time-keeper, stood m front of the women, his face toward the singers, withhis baton in his hand. The women would move in swinging motionslike the waves rolhng on the sea. The people who came in would doall they could to try to make the women on the platform laugh. Thej^kept up the dancing untU midnight, and on the following morningfood was given to the guests. On the following day only the menwould dance, and afterwards women only woidd dance. ^ Great potlatches are also given after the death of a chi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectindians, bookyear1895
