Potlatch

During the potlatch ban, Native artwork greatly declined as there was no process of ritual to “baptize” new totems or new art pieces to become at’óow’s, objects made “through ceremonial use and dedication” (Dauenhauer 26, Tlingit At.óow: Traditions and Concepts). Such…

I agree on the Norwegian and Japanese position on permitting the hunting of non-endangered species of whales as a cultural exemption. This is once again, dominant cultures forcing their "morals" on inferior cultures. I honestly feel like this is a new form of colonialism. As the great Christian philosopher so beautifully put, "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under…

directly with the obligation to give and receive in the gift-giving societies. Hence, the non-economic motivations of gifts must be traced within them. In the American Northwest, these two obligations are enforced through the system of “name”. Giving potlatch is necessary for a chief to maintain his social rank because it is an act of “humiliating others by placing them ‘in the shadow of his name’” (Mauss 39). Receiving is necessary unless one wants to be known as “afraid of having to…

Feasts were given, and gifts were traded. The host of the Potlatch usually gave away jewelry, totems, carvings, and slaves to his guests. It was believed that the more possessions an individual gave away, the higher his status among the group. Slaves were also freed to signify their status. Specialized workers used…

There are three kinds of masks, the single face mask, the mechanical mask, and the transformation mask. The single face mask is a single piece of wood. A mechanical mask is built with strings or hinges (after Europeans), which might allow a mask to open and close it~s mouth or eyes. The transformation mask is the most complex kind of mask. It consists of an outer mask that opens up to reveal an inner mask form, which might also open up to reveal a third mask form! Transformations masks are…

Sociologist have a crucial role in the field of anthropology. Sociologist analyze the functions of human society and how they influence members of that society. People are influence by their surroundings, norms, culture, and interaction. It would be very difficult to fully understand humans without the contribution of sociologist. The reading of this week begin with “Foundations of Sociological Thought” by Mcgee and Warms. The reading focused on some of the revolutionary minds of Sociology such…

and rock&roll to religion and argues that they all can be categorized as such. To support his overall topic of popular culture and religion’s love affair, he goes into detail describing the “church of baseball”, the “fetish” of Coca-Cola, and the “potlatch” of rock music. The idea of baseball being a religion makes more sense than it would to the uninvolved reader once Forbes delves into the similarities between it and a Christian church. Interviews and commentary from baseball player Buck…

That last hidden law is about sacrifices or offering to gods and says that the system of reciprocity is not perfect. In those kinds of gift, it is impossible to predict the way that a service will be reciprocate. For example, when the Yuit held a Potlatch, they will return to their homeland with the remains of killed animals. This ritual is considerate as a gift and it is made in order to insure that the killed animals will come back the next year. However, there is no certainty about the…

Author Susan Gale makes a good point when she says, “if your world revolves around money, you might be living on the wrong planet.” However, it is a fact that much of our world directly corresponds with exchanges and the meanings of it in different contexts. Economics, ecology, and globalization have both similar and different cultural practices, worldviews, and discourses surrounding them that can be seen when looking at disparities in resources and opportunities. Through several course…

family head with the highest status was the leader of the clan. There were no village leaders and disputes were mediated by the clan heads. The Tlingit Indians are known for their elaborate ceremonies. One of the more well-known ceremonies was the potlatch which was usually performed out of respect for the dead. These ceremonies traditionally lasted for four days. They consisted of dances, songs, performances, gifts, and a feast…