SOME OCCUPATIONS OF INDIAN TRIBES
At many points along the shores of British Columbia the traveller may
notice the large strongly-built dwellings of the coast Salish, who
are experts in splitting stout logs from the cedar tree by means of
implements made from the horns of the elk and wood of maple trees. Such
large dwellings, some of which had a length of over 200 feet, were, of
course, occupied by more than one family, and as a rule there were at
least half a dozen hearths, each belonging to one of several closely
related families who occupied the same large dwelling. The interior
of the building was divided into rooms by curtains manufactured from
reeds or grasses; temporary screens of this kind were easily removed
when the whole room was required for winter dancing festivities, which
were generally connected with religious beliefs. Extending all round
the walls of the hut was a low platform, which, covered with skins and
blankets made from hair of dogs and mountain goats, served as a most
comfortable bed, while on its under side could be stored dried fish,
roots and berries collected during summer, and vast quantities of fir
cones and firewood. Such stores were frequently hidden in the forest,
for years ago, before the Canadian police were known, large bands of
fierce Indians, named “Kwakiutl,” from Vancouver Island preyed upon the
quieter coast Salish, carrying off their women, children, and stores.
Even now, says a missionary named Father Morice, the Déné are afraid of
the fierce, warlike tribes who paddled their long canoes for many miles
up the Fraser River.
The only pieces of furniture worth mentioning are large treasure chests
constructed from planks of cedar firmly held by wooden rivets, so that
the joints are quite watertight. Such boxes held blankets, costumes
worn at dances, and other treasures, of which a chief owned a vast
supply.
Salish tribes of the interior had two sets of dwellings, a heavy timber
one for winter use, and for summer a light cool structure made by
stretching mats over a wooden framework. A similar summer habitation is
made by the northern Déné tribes, whose pointed tent has the appearance
of a true Indian “wigwam,” and at the present time an encampment of
these tribes has the same appearance as it had a century ago, when
visited by the great explorer Sir Alexander Mackenzie.
Of equal importance with the building of houses is the manufacture of
clothing, for which all Indian tribes have an abundance of raw material
obtained during hunting excursions. The moose--which by the way is a
domestic animal and beast of burden among the northern Déné--furnishes
a good hide, which along with deerskin can be made into strong
trousers and leggings, or into shoes named “moccasins.” Blankets,
forming a covering for the shoulders and body, are made from wool of
the mountain goat, and in some cases, down from ducks is interwoven
with the fabric, which is made by use of the old-fashioned spindle.
Among the interior Salish a man usually possesses a shirt, trousers,
leggings, moccasins, and cap. The shirt and trousers are generally
made ornamental by fringes of deerskin, while to the moccasins are
added dyed porcupine quills, goose feathers, or horse hair. Winter
socks are made from skins of the bear, buffalo, or deer, but in summer
these are replaced by lighter socks, manufactured from grass and
cedar bark. Small animals, such as the fox, lynx, hawk, and beaver,
furnish material suitable for caps, and among the “Thompson” Indians
a man always made a cap from the covering of what an Indian calls his
“totem,” that is, an animal which he believes to be his own special
friend and helper.
The summer dress[1] worn by women did not differ much from that of the
men, save that it was longer, and usually ornamented with claws and
teeth of the beaver. A chief’s dress was very elaborate, and the most
interesting part of his costume consisted of a cap made from the hair
of women from noble families. Most boys are acquainted with tattooing,
which is very common amongst soldiers and sailors nowadays. A favourite
Indian pastime was the tattooing of figures representing animals;
and sometimes the chin, forehead, or cheeks would be ornamented with
tattooed designs of some animal, usually the “manitou,” or creature
which a boy selected for his companion and guardian through life.
A good many occupations are connected with the food supply, and
everywhere near the coast or the banks of Fraser River there are
Indians busy catching, cleaning, drying, and extracting oil from fish,
among which the salmon is most prized. Gathering quantities of roots,
berries, and nuts is a favourite occupation with women and children,
who are made responsible for laying in large quantities of vegetable
food for winter. While men are occupied with hunting and fishing, women
collect roots of the cedar tree, and from the bark of these baskets of
varied patterns are neatly manufactured. Human and animal designs are
interwoven with pieces of coloured fibre in such a way as to give an
ornamental effect, though the Indian’s idea is not merely decoration,
but a desire to portray the animal helpers which he holds in reverence.
Very light vessels may be made from bark of birch and spruce trees;
some hold several gallons, and may be held on the back by leather
thongs, one of which passes round the forehead of the carrier. Canoes
of birch bark are so light that they can be carried across land for
several miles, and travellers have many times crossed from Hudson Bay
to Vancouver chiefly by use of these light portable canoes.
The manufacture of bows and arrows is an important undertaking, for on
these the hunter’s life and food supply entirely depend. Very great
care is taken in providing a bow string which will not be affected by
damp, and after threads of sinew have been neatly plaited into one
strand, the whole is rubbed with glue from the sturgeon, or perhaps
with gum from the black pine tree. Some tribes provided the end of the
bow with a sharply pointed stone, so that the implement could be used
as a thrusting spear when an animal came to close quarters, and the
hunter had not time to fit another arrow. Willow and mountain maple are
tough, elastic woods suitable for the bow, which is always strengthened
by a layer of sinew, cherry-tree bark, or snake skin, which is glued
to the wood. Barbed and leaf-shaped arrow or spear points are used
for hunting and warfare. Rock crystal, quartz, and a hard, dark,
shiny stone named obsidian are most serviceable for weapons; poison
made from fangs of the rattlesnake is used as a varnish for these
stone arrow points, so the hunter must be very careful that he does
not scratch himself when fitting an arrow to the bow. Metal plays an
ever increasing part in the Indian’s outfit, but there are still many
knives, daggers, war clubs, spears, and tomahawks, in the manufacture
of which sharpened stone is employed. “Tomahawk” means a skull cracker,
and no better name could have been employed, for this implement pecks
out a little circular hole in the skull, and many graves have been
opened in which the skeleton shows plainly by what instrument the fatal
blow was delivered. No stone implement is more prized than the hammer,
which takes a great deal of chipping and rubbing from hard stone.
During long evenings men will sit round the fire talking and polishing
their hammers, merely rubbing with the palms of the hands; the
implements take a very smooth gloss, and are handed down from father to
son for many generations.
[Illustration: NORTH AMERICAN IMPLEMENTS, WEAPONS, ETC.
1. Necklet of Wampum (shell) and bear’s claw.
2. A pipe-tomahawk.
3. A stone club-head.
4. Wooden comb representing a beast.
5. A peace-pipe.
6. A spiked tomahawk (skull cracker).
7. A stone-bladed axe.
8, 9, 10. Wooden masks from Vancouver Island. These represent the
spirits of a beaver, a cannibal, and an eagle; they are worn during
dances held in honour of these spirits.
11, 12, 13, 14. Fish-hooks. No. 11 is made of stone and wood; No. 12
is tipped with a bird’s claw; No. 13 is for halibut, and is tipped
with bone; No. 14 is wood tipped with bone.
15. Rattle of puffin beaks used in dances by the Haida of Queen
Charlotte Islands.]
[1] For details of customs which still survive, also for information
concerning practices which have fallen into disuse, see books
recommended for the teacher’s reference library.