The potlatch among Athabaskan peoples

The traditional potlatch among Athabaskan peoples was a gathering that combined aspects of competition, peacekeeping and a show of wealth.

The traditional Athabaskan potlatch had "social, religious and economic significance." It was a gathering that combined aspects of competition, peacekeeping and a show of wealth. During a potlatch, members of the society with a surplus of food and supplies provide these for all members of a clan, and in situations with other clans this sharing of resources is either a competitive showing or one of creating loyalties, and sometimes both simultaneously.

Traditionally the village was centered on the chiefs' house, and this is where potlatches were held. This was because the chief had the biggest cache where the food was stored.

There were many different reasons to hold a potlatch in Athabaskan culture, including the birth of a child, a surplus of food, or a death in the clan. The most elaborate of Athabaskan potlatches was the mortuary or funeral potlatch. This marked "the separation of the deceased from society and is the last public expression of grief."

There were slight variations in the funeral and mortuary potlatches depending on the status or role of the member of the clan who had died. Different songs and dances were performed for a warrior than for an elder. Because of the tight-knit manner of a group or clan, usually due to extended family ties, the death of an elder, in particular, had a very large effect on the tribe. The corpse would first be dressed by the women of the clan and be prepared, while the mobilizing and putting together of the funeral would be taken care of by the closest male relative of the deceased. The preparations would differ but the proceedings of the funerals themselves were generally similar.

The potlatch generally consisted of "the feast, dancing & singing, oratory, and the distribution of gifts". The feast was provided by a wealthier member of the group to communicate "sentiment, affection, familiarity and goodwill." Dancing and singing were a reciprocation of the guests to the hosts for their generosity. Stories were told in the same manner, and for entertainment. The act of giving out gifts was possibly the most dynamic aspect of the traditional Athabaskan potlatch. This was a generous act of sharing one's wealth with the rest of the tribe, and simultaneously a show of the abundance and superiority of the host.

Modern potlatches still contain many of the traditional aspects of sharing food, giving gifts, singing, dancing and telling stories, but now the purpose has changed. Most modern potlatches can be held for similar reasons, such as a birth or a death, but now they are no longer so much a show of wealth, but a celebration to keep the tradition alive.

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