The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-02-16

~ 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 racial type, speaking the
same tongue, acknowledging estab-
lished laws, and bound by like con-
ventions, says an article by George T.
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
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 well-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.
chilkat the Leading Tribe.
Geographically considered, there are
lG tribal divisions known as "kwans,"
l contraction of "ka" (man) and "an"
(land lived on or claimed). OF these
several tribes the Chilkat-kwan has
,een the most prominent since our ac-
luaintance with Alaska. The relative
Importance of primitive people is
by conditions of food supply
md other natural resources. The COM
position Of the Chilkat, at the
lead of the inland channels controll-
ng the mountain passes to the interi-
)r, gave them the monopoly of the fur
-rade Of the upper Yukon valley, and
he placer copper fields of the White
liver region. These products, unknown
to the coastal area, We're economically
important in primitive days, and after
The advent Of Europeans the increased
demand for furs, and their greater
value, made this trade even more lu-
rrative. The Tlingit We're canoe
people and might be termed semi-no-
madlc, as 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
non streams; but Notwithstanding
these long absences, they built sub
villages, where, except for So
cial activities, they spent the winter In
ldleness.
AS they looked to the sea for their
food supply, their villages
we're directly on the shore just above
he high water-mark, In sheltered
,oves, where they could launch their
and land in any weather and
1t any stage of the tide. But the Chill
KAT, differing from all the other Thing
t, lived just beyond the open water
n n rather restricted territory on riv-
rs that were veritable storehouses of
Ood, bringing an abundance of fish life
o their very doors and so permitting
hem to remain at home throughout
he year, except when on their trading
rips to the Interior which gave their
Affiliations n more permanent eharac-
er, and contributed to the unity of
life.