Cedar: Tree of Life to the Northwest Coast IndiansFrom the mighty cedar of the rainforest came a wealth of raw materials vital to the early Northwest Coast Indian way of life, its art and culture. For thousands of years these people developed the tools and technologies to fell the giant cedars that grew in profusion. They used the rot-resistant wood for graceful dugout canoes to travel the coastal waters, massive post-and-beam houses in which to live, steam bent boxes for storage, monumental carved poles to declare their lineage and dramatic dance masks to evoke the spirit world. Every part of the cedar had a use. The versatile inner bark they wove into intricately patterned mats and baskets, plied into rope and processed to make the soft, warm, yet water-repellent clothing so well suited to the raincoast. Tough but flexible withes made lashing and heavy-duty rope. The roots they wove into watertight baskets embellished with strong designs. For all these gifts, the Northwest Coast peoples held the cedar and its spirit in high regard, believing deeply in its healing and spiritual powers. Respectfully, they addressed the cedar as Long Life Maker, Life Giver and Healing Woman. Photographs, drawings, anecdotes, oral history, accounts of early explorers, traders and missionaries highlight the text. |
Contents
17 | |
21 | |
26 | |
27 | |
29 | |
36 | |
Canoes | 48 |
Houses and Other Structures | 60 |
Matting | 136 |
Clothing | 141 |
Cordage | 148 |
Shredded and Softshredded Bark Uses | 153 |
CEDAR THE WITHES | 161 |
Ropes | 162 |
Lashing and Sewing | 165 |
Other Uses | 167 |
Carved Poles Pots and Figures | 75 |
Steambent Wood | 84 |
Planks and Boards | 92 |
Other Everyday Uses | 96 |
Other Ceremonial Uses | 104 |
CEDAR THE BARK | 113 |
Unprocessed Bark Uses | 117 |
Processing | 123 |
Basketry and Other Weaving | 128 |
CEDAR THE ROOTS | 171 |
Basketry | 174 |
Other Uses | 177 |
CEDAR SPIRITUAL REALMS | 179 |
Rituals | 180 |
Prayers | 181 |
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188 | |
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Common terms and phrases
added adze areas base BASKET basketry beams BLADE blankets branches British built canoe carried carved cedar bark CEDAR ROOT cedar tree ceremonial chief chisel Coast Salish Cook corner covered dance early edge felling figures fire fish FOLDED four groove Haida hand head held hole Indian inner inside Islands kerf Kwakiutl LASHED length lines material measured method Museum needed northern Northwest Coast painted person piece placed planks pole posts prevent pulled red cedar removed REPRESENTING River rocks roof roots rope rows salmon shape SHREDDED side spirit split SPLIT CEDAR sticks stone strands strip strong thickness took trade tree trunk TWINING twisted Vancouver village wall WARP wedges Westcoast whale wide woman women wood wooden woodworker woven wrapped yellow cedar