Potlatch

Between 1884 and 1951, it was a crime in Canada (and the US) for First Nations to potlatch; dancing, singing, feasting, and gift-giving — in ceremonies comprising the system of redistributing wealth among the coastal aboriginal peoples — was punishable by two to six months in jail. Today, the indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest have rebounded from this missionary-inspired punishment, and taken potlatch to a new level. Lucky for us, the Native tradition of giving is alive and well.

This entry was posted on May 19, 2008 at 10:34 am and is filed under Daily. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

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