Northwest Coast Tribes

Northwest Coast Tribes
 

Northwest Coast Tribes / Pacific Northwest Coast Tribes
The term Northwest Coast Tribes or North West Coast is used in anthropology to refer to the groups of Indigenous people residing along the West coast of Canada and the United States. The term Pacific Northwest Tribes or Pacific Coast Tribes is largely used in the American context.
The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are composed of many nations and tribal affiliations, each with distinctive cultural and political identities, but they share certain beliefs, traditions and practices, such as the centrality of salmon as a resource and spiritual symbol.
Location: Oregon | Washington | Alaska | Northern California | British Columbia
There are wiide variations of climate and topography along the Pacific Ocean, including Tundra, Mountains and Temporate Rain Forests. The area generally has cool and wet summers and mild winters.
Ceremonial Masks:
The people of the Northwest Coast, particularly those in the Northern and Central portions of this culture area, are well known for their ceremonial masks. Masks are made from wood, primarily cedar and occasionally maple, which is then painted with three primary colors: black or blue, red, and white.
These masks are both art objects and objects with spiritual significance. Masks represent the animals and creatures of the four dimensions of the cosmos: the Sky World, the Mortal World, the Undersea World, and the Spirit World. One of the common themes in the mythology of the Northwest Coast is one in which ancestors come down from the sky and then remove their animal or bird costumes.
When used in ceremonies, the masks take on the life and spirit of the spirits which they represent. Traditionally, masks were guarded and hidden away, and not shown until they appeared in the ceremonial dance.
Northwest Coast Art
The Northwest Coast is a region in which an entrenched and highly valued artistic tradition flourished. Northwest Coast art-carving and painting-has a very characteristic style. Most commonly, art is used for portraying the family crest and heraldic figures.Another media used by Northwest Coast artists is argillite. Argillite is a soft stone which is found in the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Cooking and Potlatches
One of the unique items among Northwest Coast Indians are kerfed wooden boxes in which the sides of the box are made by scoring and then bending a single board to form the sides of the box. The single side seam is then carefully fitted and sewn together with spruce root. The bottom of the box is also carefully fitted and sewn to the sides. These boxes are waterproof and some are used for cooking. The watertight boxes can be filled with water and when hot stones are dropped into the box the water can be brought to a boil.Many social events and ceremonies, such as a funeral or seasonal celebration, include a potlatch. During the several days of the potlatch, the hosts provide the guests with two large meals per day. These were traditionally served from huge potlatch bowls, carved in the shape of a animal or man, that may be up to 12 feet long. The potlatch is an expression of social stratification and so the lower ranking members of the society would be fed from the bowls at the knees and the highest ranking members would be fed from the head.Potlatches also include many give-aways for various reasons. The hosting family may save and gather food and giveaway items for a year or more before sponsoring a potlatch. This is a way of redistributing wealth from the more prosperous tribal members to the more needy, or showing respect for a person who has passed. Funeral potlatches are usually held about a year after the death of the deceased person, to give away his possessions.
Clothing
The Northwest Coast peoples have a wide variety of garments which are worn during ceremonies and for special occasions. Sometimes the clothes are decorated with crest designs that show the wearer’s clan.
One of the best examples of Northwest Coast weaving can be seen in the Chilkat Dancing Blankets or Robes. These blankets combine the twining of mountain goat wool and cedar bark with the images of mythological creatures. According to some experts, The pattern of the Chilcat blanket came from the Tsimshian and was adopted by the Tlingit, the Chilcat people specializing in its production, owning to the ease with which mountain goat’s wool could be procured in their district.
Traditionally, it would take a year or more to make a Chilkat Blanket. The blankets are woven by the women, but the designs are painted by male artists on special pattern boards.Another kind of ceremonial blanket is the Button Blanket. Button blankets were developed during the 19th century. Most are made of dark blue wool with a red pattern. The buttons are sewn individually to create the desired pattern.
Northwest Coast Tribes

Alsea – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Ahantchuyuk – see Kalapuya
Applegate – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Atfalati – see Kalapuya
Bella Bella – see Heiltsuk
Bella Coola – see Nuxalk
Burrard – see Tsleil-waututh
Calapooia – see Kalapuya
Calapuya – see Kalapuya
Chasta (Shasta) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Chasta Costa – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Central Kalapuya – see Kalapuya
Chasta Costa – see Rogue River
Chehalis (Upper and Lower), Washington – See Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Chehalis, (BC), Fraser Valley
Chilliwak, BC
Chinook – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Chinook (Thomas Band Chinook, Williams Band Chinook, Wal-la-lah band of Tumwaters, Johns Band Chinook, Clackamas Chinook (Oregon City)) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Chemakum, Washington (extinct)
Chetco – (Tolowa) – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Clallam – see Klallam
Clatskanie (Tlatskanie)
Clatsop – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Comox, Vancouver Island/BC Georgia Strait
Coos (Hanis) – See Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon
Coos (Miluk) – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon and  Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon
Lower Coquille (Miluk) – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Upper Coquille – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Cowichan, Southern Vancouver Island/Georgia Strait
French Canadian (Iroquois) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Lower Cowlitz Washington

Quwutsun
Somena
Quamichan

Duwamish Washington
Eyak, Alaska
Galice – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Gitxsan, British Columbia
Haida (Dialects: Kaigani, Skidegate, Masset) Alaska
Haihai
Haisla, BC North/Central Coast

Haihai
Kimsquit
Kitimaat

Halkomelem
Heiltsuk, BC Central Coast
Hoh, Washington
Kalapuya (Calapooia, Calapuya)- See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon

North Kalapuya

Yamhill (Yamel) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Tualatin – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Tfalati (Atfalati) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon

Central Kalapuya

Santiam – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Mary’s River – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Lakmiut
Ahantchuyuk – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Lower McKenzie (Mohawk people), Oregon

South Kalapuya, (Yonkalla, Yoncalla) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon

Kimsquit
Kitimat
Klallam (Clallam, Dialects: Lower Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam) – Also See Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Klemtu
Klickitat – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Koskimo
Kwalhioqua
Kwakiutl (Kwakwala or Kwakwa’kwa’kw)

Koskimo
‘Namgis
Laich-kwil-tach (Euclataws or Yuculta)

Kwalhioqua
Kwantlem
Kwatami
Lakmiut – see Kalapuya
Lower McKenzie – see Kalapuya
Lower Umpqua – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Lower Umpqua – See Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon
Lummi Washington
Lushootseed
Makah Washington
Mary’s River – see Kalapuya
Molala – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Muckleshoot – Also See Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Musqueam, BC Lower Mainland (Vancouver)
Nanaimo
Niskwalli
Nisga’a, British Columbia
Nisqually – See Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Nooksack Indian Tribe of Washington
North Kalapuya – see Kalapuya
Nuu-chah-nulth, West Coast of Vancouver Island
Nuxalk (Bella Coola) – BC Central Coast
Oowekeno – see Wuikinuxv
Pentlatch
Puyallup Washington
Quileute Washington
Quinault – Also See Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Rivers Inlet – see Wuikinuxv
Rogue River or Upper Illinois Oregon, California – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Saanich
Samish – See Swinomish
Santiam – see Kalapuya
Sauk-Suiattle Washington
Sechelt
Shasta – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Shoalwater Bay Tribe Washington
Siletz Oregon – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Siuslaw – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Siuslaw – See Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon
Skagit
Skokomish Washington
Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish), British Columbia
Sliammon, BC Sunshine Coast/Georgia Strait (Mainland Comox)
Snohomish
Snoqualmie
Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo), Vancouver Island
Songhees (Songish), Southern Vancouver Island/Strait of Juan de Fuca
Sooke, Southern Vancouver Island/Strait of Juan de Fuca
South Kalapuya – see Kalapuya
Squaxin Island Tribe, Washington
Stillaguamish, Washington
Sto:lo, BC Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley

Kwantlen
Katzie

Songish
Sooke
Squamish – see Skwxwu7mesh
Suquamish, Washington
Swinomish ,Washington
Squaxin Island Tribe Washington
Stillaguamish Washington
Swinomish Washington
Tait
Takelma – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Talio
Tfalati – see Kalapuya
Tillamook (Nehalem), Oregon – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Tillamook (Salmon River, Nehalem, Nestucka) – See Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Tlatlasikoala
Tlingit, Alaska
Tolowa-Tututni
Tsimshian (Dialects: Hartley Bay, Prince Rupert, Gitando, Kitkatla)
Tsleil-waututh (Burrard) – British Columbia
Tualatin – see Kalapuya
Tulalip, Washington
Twana, Washington
Tzouk-e (Sooke), Vancouver Island
Tulalip Washington
Tututni – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Lower Umpqua – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Upper Umpqua – See Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
Upper Skagit Washington
Oowekyala
Wuikinuxv (Owekeeno), BC Central Coast
Yamel – see Kalapuya
Yamhill – see Kalapuya
Yaquina
Yoncalla – see Kalapuya
Yonkalla – see Kalapuya

Pacific Northwest and Plateau Indian Wars

Arctic
California
Northeast
Great Basin
Great Plains

NW Coast
Plateau
Southeast
Southwest
Sub Arctic