Chinook Indian Talk

Re: Chinook Indians

From: tenas kumtux
Date: 12/19/2002
Time: 1:12:50 PM
Remote Name: 152.163.189.198

Comments

Okay, first, read the archive. Most of what you seek is located there.

Short list of wildlife: Elk, deer, bear, wolves, beaver, otter, bob-cat, cougar, seal, sea lion, porcupine, skunk, &c.

Tools for battle? It is very important to remember that the Chinook, like most of the ancient nations of North America, were traders and not warriors. They did however go on slave raids to distant villages. The principle weapon they used on these raids was a whalebone club. Curiously, this was just a larger version of the club they used for salmon. In battle they wore padding about their heads and armor of doubled elk hide. The idea was to knock their opponent senseless. This was far safer than killing him. You see, the Chinook believe that you can only kill a person’s physical form, the spirit remains. And a displeased spirit could be far more troublesome than a physical form. This also explains why there were so few murders in Chinook society.

As for the role of men and women, it is not a question that can be answered in a few short lines. They had very different roles but achieved in these roles an equality that was, at the time, unmatched by Europeans, and Euro-Americans. Tyees [chiefs] rules the various clans. The Tyees were, almost without exception, men. But it was a council of elders that provided guidance for the Tyee and clan, and these councils were made up of both men and women. Women, then as now, tended to outlive men, so they represented the largest component of the council. Now here is the part that most people fail to see. These women were from other clans. As girls they had come from distant villages. Just as they did in the American colonies at the time, the Chinook arranged marriages for their daughters. But it is important to note that, unlike their counterparts in the colonies, these Chinook girls had the right to say “no” to any proposed marriage. You see, each clan was trying to establish trade with as many different villages as possible. No one village was self-sufficient. The more connections you had with distant villages, the more diverse the commerce, the richer your life. Women married into distant villages acted as ambassadors and representatives from the village they grew up in. They maintained fair trade for they had a vested interest in both parties. All this, gave the woman the right to say “yes” or “no” to a proposed marriage. It would not do to send a woman to a place where she was unhappy, as this would only disrupt the trade you hoped to establish. So, with councils made up primarily of women from other clans, and these women being most intent on trade and negotiations, you can see why the Chinook lived at peace with their neighbors. [Did I mention that a woman could legally become a man in Chinook society and vice versa?] As I said, this is not a subject that could be dealt with in a few short lines. Their roles on a day to day basis were somewhat different. Men generally gathered meat, while women generally gathered fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Although, when need, each lent a hand at the other’s chores.

Last changed: December 19, 2002