The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-01-04

n YPON the discovery of the
northwest coast of America,
" 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-
iiShcd laws and bound by like con-
ventiOn& 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 a
uniform northward migration by wa
Nland 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
interInarry and supplement each 9th
rr upon the many ceremonial occasions
that mark their intercourse.
The two parties are subdivided into
tif,y-SiN existing families or clans,
!, founded on blood relationship and alb
4 SOlutely Independent in government,
nccCSsiOn, inheritance and territory.
Tthin the family there is Il 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.
ChiIkat the Leading Tribe.
Geographically considered, there are
16 tribal divisions known as "kwans, -
contraction of ska" (man) and "an'
Gland lived on or claimeD. OF these
several tribes the Chilkat-kwan has
been the most prominent since our ac
quaintance with Alaska. The relative
Importance of a primitive people is
measured by conditions of food supply
and other natural resources. The com.
manding 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 more lu
cratiye. The Tlingit were canoe
people and might be termed Semi-nO
madic, 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
mon streams; but Notwithstanding
these long absences, they built sub
stantial villages, where, except for so
cial activities, they spent the winter ir
comparative idleness.
AS they looked to the sea for theil
principal food supply, their villages
were directly on the shore just above
the high water-mark, in sheltered
coveS. where they could launch theil
canoes and land in any weather ant
at any stage of the tide. But the Chill
kat, differing from all the other Ting
it, lived just beyond the open water
in II rather restricted territory on riv
erS that were veritable storehouses o.
food, bringing an 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 gave thei
habitations more permanent charac
ter, and contributed to the unity O.
communal life.