The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-01-04

rthWe coast OF America,
w. the Tlingit were found in pos
session of southeastern Alas
ka, with the exception POSSIBLY of the
southernmOst portion Of Prince of
Wales island, which had been wrested
from them by invading Haida from
Masset on the Queen Charlotte islands
during the latter half of the eighteenth
century. From the testimony of the
early explorers, this occupation seems
to have been Of sufficient age to have
developed a racial type, speSSlng the
same tongue, acknowledging estab-
iished laws, and bound by like con
ventions, says an article by George I.
Emmons in the American Museum
Journal.
What knowledge we can gather of
their origin and early life from their
family traditions, songs and geo.
graphical names, although fragmen-
tary and vague, tells consistently of a
uniform northward migration by wa
ter, along the coast and through the in
land channels from the Tsimshian pc
ninsula and Prince of Wales island,
which was constantly augmented by
parties of interior people descending
the greater rivers to the sea.
The social organization of the Tin
git is founded on matriarchy, or de-
scent through the mother, and is de-
pendent upon two parties, the mem
bers of each of which may not marry
among themselves, but the two parties
intermarry and supplement each 9th
er upon the many ceremonial occasions
that mark their intercourse.
The two parties are subdivided into
fifty-six existing families or clans,
founded on blood relationship and alb
solutely Independent in government,
succession, inheritance and territory.
Within the family there is a weil-de-
fined aristocracy, wholly dependent
upon birth, from which the chiefs are
chosen; an intermediate class consist
ing of those who have forced them
selves to the front, through wealth,
character or artistic ability and the
poorer people. In earlier days there
were many slaves who had no recOg-
nized rights.
Chiikat the Leading Tribe.
Geographically considered, there are
16 tribal divisions known as "kwans,"
a contraction of ska" (man) and San"
Gland lived on or claimei). OF these
several tribes the Chilkat-kwan has
beer the most prominent since u ac-
auaintance with Alaska. The relative
Importance of q primitive people is
measured by conditions Of food supply
and other natural resources. The COM
handing position of the Chilkat, at the
head of the inland channels controll-
ing the mountain passes to the interi-
or, gave them the monopoly of the fur
trade of the upper Yukon valley, and
the placer copper fields of the White
river region. These products, unknown
to the coastal area, were economically
important in primitive days, and after
the advent of Europeans the increased
demand for furs, and their greater
value, made this trade even lmore lu-
e~rative. The Tlingit We're a canoe
people and might be termed semi-no-
madic, az they were On their hunting
grounds in the early spring and late
fall, while the summer season was
spent in the fishing camps by the sal
mon streams; but Notwithstanding
these long absences, they built sub
stantial villages, where, except for so
cial activities, they spent the winter in
comparative idleness.
As they looked to the sea for their
principal food supply, their villages
were directly on the shore just above
the high water-mark, in sheltered
coves, where they could launch their
canoes and land in any weather and
at any stage of the tide. But the Chill.
kat, differing from all the other Thing
it, lived just beyond the open water
in a rather restricted territory o riv'
ers that were veritable ~storehouses OF
food, bringing en- abundance of fish life
to their very doors and so permitting
them to remain at home throughout
the year, except when on their trading
trips to the interior, which CIV theiI
habitations a more permanent charae
ter, and contributed to the unity OF
communal life.
At the Mother Town.
OF the four principal old villages, al
of which have survived the ravage!
of constant strife and the still more
deadly b~y-products Of civilization
liquor and disease-Klukwan (mothe
town. has always held the first place
in size, wealth and the character o
Its people. 1t retained its supremac,
1,r ,ftor Tho mora southern cnocf vii
lagos had gone TO decay, as its NOR
interior and isolated position and tn
independent ard aggressive reputation
of its population kept white trader
1T Il distance Kiukwan lies AT ID
edge of a gradual slope on the mort