Opposite Contraries (21 page)

“This cedar has a unique and far reaching influence on the lives of these Coast tribes of Indians; it has been more potent in shaping their lines of culture than any other single factor of their environment: it was to them what the coconut palm was to the South Sea Islanders. From its outer bark men construct their ropes and lines, covering for dwellings, slow matches of ’travelling fire’ and many other things. From its inner bark the women wove garments for themselves and their children, made beds and pillows, padded their babies’ cradles, formed the compressing bands and pads to deform children’s heads. From its
wood
the men built their family communal dwellings, made such primitive furniture as they needed — tubs, pots, kettles, bowls, dishes and platters; fashioned their buoyant and graceful fishing and war canoes, their coffins, treasure chests, ceremonial masks, heraldic emblems etc. The
branches
of the younger trees made their most lasting whithies and from its split roots the women constructed their beautiful watertight baskets. There was practically no part of this wonderful tree they did not use; even resorting to it for
food
in times of famine, robbing the squirrels and chipmunks of their stores of
cones
for the nourishment they possessed.” And it was, then, from the
tallest, finest, straightest
specimens of this tree that they carved these wonderful totem poles.

By totemic marks, the various families of a tribe of Indians denote their affiliation. A guardian spirit has been selected by the progenitor of a family from some object in the zoological chain; the representative device is called a “totem.” Indians were proud of their totems and were prone to surround them with attributes of
bravery, strength and talent,
powers of
endurance
or other qualities. A warrior’s totem never lacked honour in the reminiscences and the mark was put upon his grave post. In his funeral pictograph, he invariably sinks his personal name in that of his totem or family name.

“The natives of this Dominion, then, in common with some of the tribes of the United States and other countries, have this system of kinship, which extends far beyond their own family and is known as totemism. The tribes are divided into
clans, bands or gentes
each having its own distinct crest or emblem of ancestry, which constitutes a native heraldry, or bond of brotherhood. The crests are in the form of animals, birds or fishes which are believed in a sense to
be their ancestors.
‘A totem is a class of material object which a savage regards with superstitious respect believing that there exists between him and every member of that clan an intimate and altogether special relation.’ They make a theoretical claim of descent from the animals which they accept as their totems. And confounding the
ideal
with the
real,
they have come to speak of them as their ancestors. In a general sense those animals which inspired
fear, affection
or seemed to possess a high degree of intelligence or superhuman capabilities were regarded as their kindred, but those which lacked such qualities were despised or rejected as totems. The clan system with its totems developed a clan brotherhood with very strong ties. The duties of clanship consisted in making a common defence
against enemies,
prohibition of marriage
within the clan, the establishment of a
common burial
place, the right of
electing and deposing
chiefs, the
bestowment of names
and the
adoption of strangers
into the clan; each clan was known by the name of its totem, as the wolf clan, eagle clan, bear clan etc. Different degrees of rank or dignity were attached to different totems. The bear, tortoise, and wolf were the three held in the highest esteem by the Iroquois. It is forbidden to
kill or eat the totem,
and this religious ban is known as tabooism. Although these people would not have hesitated in bygone years to commit great acts of cruelty, they would not dare to kill or eat their totem believing it to be one of their kindred or part of themselves. Only by mistake or in cases of extreme hunger would they eat it, lest they die. Some of the tribes believe that they are possessed by the animal whose totem they bear; among some of the tribes of British Columbia, not only will a man not kill his totem, but if he sees another slay it, he will demand compensation.”

It was believed that the clan partook of the nature of the animal totems, the bears being very ill-tempered, the cranes having loud voices, the loons always wearing wam-pum round their throats to resemble the collar of the loon. The origin of
perpetuating the mythological clan names,
family history and
individual exploits
upon totemic columns is unknown, but it is believed that a spirit revealed to one of the chiefs, in the days when people lived in cold huts, the plan of a house in detail. The chief commanded material to be collected for the construction of such a house. And just before the work of erection commenced, the spirit again appeared to the chief with the same plan, but with the addition of a carved column placed in front; his crest (the raven) was carved on top. Underneath the raven was the eagle, his wife’s crest, lower again the crest of his father and mother,
and also the crests of his wife’s family. The chief built his house accordingly, and thereafter all the tribes did the same.

“If a native exhibits his totem by putting it on his forehead or otherwise, all those belonging to the
same totem
must do honour to it and cast property before it.” One of the same totem is due not only
hospitality,
but such treatment as would be accorded to a
close blood relation.
“As a primitive form of society, totemism, united members of a clan as brothers and sisters, extending far beyond the limits of family relationship, including people who spoke
different dialects
and forming a
clan of brotherhood
stronger than family life. Rival totems made war with each other, a husband and wife might belong to different totems which will divide them when a totem feud arises.

“
Mother right
prevails among the Western Tribes and in a general way among the Northern tribes of B.C.
Paternal right
exists generally among Southern peoples. By the law of descent the children belong to the clan of the mother, not that of the father. Among the Haida of B.C. the children belong to the totem clan of the mother, but if the clan of the father is reduced in numbers the child may be given to the sister of the father to rear. It is then spoken of as belonging to the paternal aunt and belongs thus to the clan of the father. Among Western Dene, titles and landed property cannot pass by hereditary into a different clan, and children of a noble belonging to the mother’s clan could not inherit the property of the father. If the father had nephews by a sister, one of them became his successor. In order that the children of a noble might not be entirely disinherited, one of his daughters would be united in marriage to her inheriting maternal first cousin. The husband becomes a member of the clan of his wife a short time after marriage, by assuming the
house and crest of his father-in-law. The crest descends upon his children, his daughters retaining it but his sons lose it as they follow their father’s example by adopting the crest of the women they marry. The worship of animals was based upon totemism in its religious aspect. Many civilized nations of antiquity passed through the totem stage. Indeed, it seems to have been the first in all countries, traces of its existence being found in the Bible symbolism, as the lion is the animal symbol of Judah, the wolf for Benjamin, the serpent for Dan, etc.”

The natives have a strong faith in the protective and guiding qualities of their totems. “This has made the B.C. tribes paint and carve them on their houses, the door sometimes being formed through the body of a totem: Charlevoix in speaking of Indians going to war says that ’they always carefully enclosed in a bag their tutelary genius or Manito, and these bags were distributed among the elders of each family. Before entering the country of an enemy, they would have a great feast and then go to sleep expecting helpful dreams. Scouts would be sent forth to note the presence of the enemies and these fierce warriors would peacefully sleep expecting that their totems would protect them.’ The totem was also worn by some in the war bonnet to ensure safety to the wearer.

“The totem masks are the native insignia or symbols of rank and authority. Sometimes the pole refers to the adventures of the ancestor,” as in No. 111 and 46 [references to paintings in the exhibit]. I saw this same story depicted on two different poles, each being carried out in entirely different designs. One stands in the village of Kispiox and one in Gitwangak, both up Skeena River district. The story runs like this: The Haidas of Q.C.I., who were a warlike and revengeful people, came up the
rushing waters of the Skeena in their mighty war canoes and made war against the Tsimpseans. The battle was long and fierce and many many were slain. At the end of this terrible warfare, the Haidas returned home victorious, taking with them many many slaves and among them a chief’s daughter, a beautiful young girl who was taken to Queen Charlotte’s Islands and made slave wife to a great chief of the Haidas. She bore him in all three sons, the first two of which he beheaded. When her third son was born, the wretched slave wife determined he should not share the fate of his brothers. So waiting ’til her lord chief slept, she came stealthily and cut his head off. Taking the head, she placed it up in her canoe, and taking her babe she fled across the rough body of water — Queen Charlotte Sound — up the treacherous Skeena back to the home of her father. The Haidas saw her pass, but as the husband’s head was visible in the canoe, they supposed him to be with her and did not give chase. One curious fact I noted: in both poles, the tongue protruded. Knowing there is usually a reason for all these little accentuated particulars, I asked what it was. Because, they answered, the babe would have died for lack of food, only the mother pulled the dead man’s tongue out of his mouth. The child sucked it and so life was kept in its body. Occasional totem poles have existed elsewhere in Canada.

“In the village of the Ottawas the clans had different wards and totem poles bearing the crests of the clan were at the gates. But the Pacific Coast is the real home of the totem poles. Five hundred carved columns being known to exist in the land of the
Haida
alone in 1884. Alas, the age of the carved column has passed away; no new ones replace the old as they disappear. The ambition of the people now is to erect marble tombstones with an inscription giving name and date of death.”

Old
legends
were depicted on some of the totem poles, legends that had always been connected with their particular family. These are very,
very hard
to learn. Many of the younger Indians do not know them; others again are unwilling to tell. Oftimes the old folk are blind and deaf, can’t be bothered or can’t speak English. It is indeed always an
honour
and a
privilege
to be taken in an Indian’s confidence, for they are and have
good reason
for being suspicious of the whites.

They are also keenly sensitive to ridicule; very few, even for money, will permit themselves to be painted in a picture; besides which, for some obscure reason connected with “spirit,” they are superstitious about it. They liked me to paint their poles, and were interested and friendly. In very few instances have I met with surly behaviour, though twice I have been met in a very threatening attitude and told to leave the village. They accused me of stealing their poles, but with a little tact and jollying on my part, and even at times a present of a duplicate sketch, we have always become the best of friends. It is my custom upon leaving a village to give an exhibition of all the pictures I have with me. I tack them up on the outside wall on one of the houses and invite them to come and see. I have known them even to leave a “potlatch” to come, and I find this little courtesy much appreciated. They love to look at them, right side and wrong, to feel and smell them, but always with the greatest of care. Never once has a sketch been soiled or spoiled. I often wish I could understand their Indian as they discuss them. They tell me they are good or
Hyas-closh.
One man remarked, “Well, I’m a clever man but she has me beat.” I leave my coat, sketchbook and paraphernalia all round the village, much against the advice of the missionaries, but I have never once found my trust in these people
misplaced, and I think they are keenly appreciative of the confidence shown, though I assure you I would not leave my paraphernalia five minutes unguarded in one of our villages with white children around. I have spent long days and sometimes nights in lonely villages with no other protection than the worn teeth of my 13-year-old dog. I never carry a revolver, being far more afraid of a gun than an Indian. There is usually a missionary in the village, but it is not uncommon to find the missionary has followed the people to the canneries, in the summer months, and the village pretty well deserted.

[Written on pages 15 and 16 verso of manuscript]
I love these people with their quiet dignity and I think they know it, for they are keen observers and sure readers of character. The first village I visited many years ago was that of Ucluelet on the West coast of V.I. It was at 7 o’clock on a cold misty morning in early spring. I was just a young girl and invited to visit at the Mission House for some sketching.

A very big man in a very little canoe took me from the steamer to the house, a lonesome little dwelling with its face to the sea and its back to the dense forest abounding in panthers. Indeed, they used to steal all the meat, ripping the wire off the safe with their powerful paws. Hipi, an old Indian, arrived immediately with five or six others to inspect the new guest. Visitors were scarce. He sat upon a table scrutinizing me intently but speaking no word. By and by, with his eyes still upon me, he began in Chinook. I think he gave me a better character than I deserved, but one point struck terror to my heart as the missionary translated, “Her heart is good and she is not stuck up and would eat clams in an Indian hut if invited.” Alas,
I was put to the test later and was miserably found wanting. It wasn’t even clams but a disgusting concoction, all sitting round the pot and dipping in their spoons. These people named me Klee Wyck (the Laughing One), for they said, “She cannot talk our language but she laughs much and that is just the same we understand.” A name is not just a label to an Indian, but it is something real. Besides the common names given to them by the priest or missionary at baptism, everyone has his own special Indian name. I asked one man how they got these.