They need to be aware that every Aboriginal group is distinct from each other. Also the students will be developing their research skills. Clans play an important role in the lives of the Tsimshian and other Aboriginal groups. There are four clans in a Tsimshian village. Clan lineage is matrilineal, children take the clan of their mother.
Crests are symbols showing clan membership.
This lesson is part of a Unit on First Nations people and culture. It is the second lesson in a series of three lessons on the Tsimshian. This lesson allows the students to actively participate in classroom discussion, and invokes an interest in one Aboriginal culture. The extension allows the students to compare two Aboriginal cultures with respect to the same issue, respect for the land and its resources. Oral tradition is central to the Tsimshian, as is respect for the land and its resources.