All Tlingit spoke related dialects of one language. In their traditional way of life, the Tlingit fished, hunted deer and seals, and gathered berries, bird eggs, and shellfish. To prepare for winter, they smoked, pickled, and dried their foods. In winter, the Tlingit lived in large plank houses, each of which sheltered many related families. Tlingit woodworkers carved masks, totem poles, and other objects.
Tlingit society continues to be strictly ranked.
Many personal positions in the tribe are confirmed during feasts called potlatches, in which the hosts give gifts to guests. Each group has many clans. All Tlingit belong to their mother's clan. Members of Raven clans may marry only members of the Eagles, and Eagle members may marry only Ravens. In the late 1700's, the Russians became the first Europeans to establish relations with the Tlingit.