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The Feast System – Adapted from “Indians of Washington State,”
Dr. Willard Bill, Publication of the Office of Native Education, OSPI,
Washington State
The people of the Native tribes of Washington had and have frequent traditional gatherings
to celebrate. Some of these ceremonies and religious practices are closely linked to
seasonal cycles. The purpose of these gatherings are to give thanks, share foods, establish
and strengthen social ties, and to have fun.
Potlatch
Potlatch gift-giving feasts were held by many tribes, although they were not as highly
formalized among the Northwest Coastal tribes. The word “potlatch” comes from the
Chinook word “patshall” which means “gift” or “to give.”
Gifts were given and feasts were held to mark special occasions such as marriages, puberty
rites, the giving of a new name, when the annual salmon run begins, at death, reburial,
celebrating a successful hunt, upon return from trading markets or meetings with outsiders
such as other tribes or settlers. A major potlatch might last several days and involve years
of planning. Potlatches distributed real property such as: surplus food, blankets, copper
shields, cedar bark or cattail mats, canoes or carved items, to mark the transfer of
intangible property such as names, crests, dances, songs, legends, and chants which were
owned by families. Crests were hereditary privileges such as guardian spirits, special
names, initiation into certain secret societies with the right to perform dances or other
ceremonies, and family histories. Gift-giving at a potlatch was an important way Northwest
Coast tribal families showed how much power, status and riches they had. It was also an
effective way of sharing those riches and establishing social ties.
Some potlatches were held in large houses especially built for them. At large potlatches
entire tribes came to visit and to give and receive presents, with the host always outdoing
his guests. Between meals, guests and the host danced and sang, usually the songs taught to
them by their spirit helpers, and the young men may have wrestled or held a tug-of-war
match. Sometimes they played a game called shinny on a mile-long stretch of beach with a
wooden ball and long, curved sticks of vine maple. Or canoe races might be held on the
smooth water of the river at high tide. They came back ravenous for the daily feast and
sometimes they held an eating contest.
Finally came the last day when the gifts were to be given out. This was the feast giver’s
great moment – the time when he made his speech and sang his songs. There is no doubt,
but this was one of the grandest moments of a man’s life. As governed by protocol, gifts
were presented in amounts or values that varied according to the rank of the recipient and
were distributed in the order of rank. It was an insult to give a gift of less value than the
rank of the recipient entitled him to receive. The more the host gave, the more important
everyone thought him to be. Sometimes the family would work and save for a year to make
sure they had enough to give away to all of the guests. Sometimes they had very little or
