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The Kwakwaka'wakw live in the Pacific Northwest Coast in present day Canada. Their history dates back at least 8,000 years (“Kwakwaka'wakw”). This presentation will share some details about the indigenous group.

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The traditional Kwakwaka'wakw land hugs the Pacific Ocean, stretches inland for 100 miles, and covers 800 miles of coastline. The temperature ranges from 20 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit ("Nystrom World Atlas"). The area receives over 80 inches of precipitation in normal year. Having a high volume of water makes it easy to find fresh water and allows vegetation to grow easily ("Climate in British Columbia, Canada").

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Kwakwaka'wakw used natural resources to survive. The most important were oolichan fish, cedar trees, and salmon. The oolichan (pictured below) are caught, fermented, and turned into oil to eat and use during ceremonies (“Ways of Living, Ways of Giving”. Cedar trees were used to build houses, totem poles, and carve out canoes. Salmon was a staple food the Kwakwaka'wakw's would smoke to preserve and eat year round ("Kwakiutl").

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Long houses were made out of cedar, a type of wood that does not break down and rot. Most houses would be over 100 feet long and fit four families. Each family would reserve a different corner of the building. Families would consist of parents, children, and grandparents. In one building, as many as fifty people could be living ("Simon Fraser University: Engaging the World").

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Kwakwaka'wakw are terrific artists. During the winter, when fishing and hunting were more difficult because of the cold weather, the people turned to creating art. One neat project was totem poles. A unique part of the Kwakwaka'wakw is they would build extra features on the poles, like beaks and wings that stick out from the main pole (“Kwakwaka'wakw”).

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The Kwakwaka'wakw worshipped many gods making them polytheistic.

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Art is key to the most important cultural event for the Kwakwaka'wakw; the potlatch. This mask was made for a potlatch ceremony. It is made out of natural materials. At the potlatch, people would dress in special clothes, sing special songs, and perform dances (Through Indian Eyes: the Untold Story of Native American Peoples, 48).

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Giving is crucial to the Kwakwaka'wakw. To ascend the social ladder, a person had to give away many goods. The more you gave, the higher your status because it showed you pass so many items on to others ("Ways of Living, Ways of Giving"). An important item people would share was pieces of copper shields. People also gained status by receiving songs from others. A song was incredibly valuable. The tribe had a four different levels of social status, with the tribal chief at the top ("Kwakwaka'wakw").