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

Of which have survived the ravages
Of constant strife and the still more
deadly by-products of civilization
liquor and disease-Klukwan (mother
town. has always held the first place
in size, wealth and the character of
| Its people. 1t retained its supremacy
long after the more southern coast vii
lagos had gone to decay, as its more
interior and isolated position and the
Independent and aggressive reputation
of its population kept white traders
at a distance. Klukwan lies at the
edge of gradual slope on the north
bank of the Chilkat, 20 miles from its
mouth, where the swift current con-
centrated in a single channel forms
strong eddy that permits the landing
of canoes at any stage Of the river.
OF the five totemic families that
form the Chilkat-kwan, four are resi-
dent here. Of these the Kon-nuh-ta-di,
the sole representative of the Raven
party, is the one with which this paper
deals. Their legendary history, so i'm
aginary and interesting, Is closely as
ISOLATED with the wanderings and an
tics of "Yehlh," the Raven creator
The Whale House.
When l first visited Klukwan in
1885, the large old communal houses
of the Kon-nuh-ta-di were still stand.
ing, the principal one of which, that
of the hereditary chief, "Yough-hit"
(Whale house), was in the last stages
Of decay and uninhabitable, although
the interior fittings were intact and it
was still used upon festival occasions.
1t was unquestionably the most widely
known and deliberately ornamented
house, not only at Chilkat, but in Alas
ka. 1t occupied the site of much older
houses, and, 1t is claimed, much larger
ones. 1t is said to have been built by
kate-tsu about, or prior to, 1885, and
stood In the middle of the village. 1t |
represented the best type of Tlingit
architecture, broad low type of
i'lingit architecture, broad low
structure of heavy hewn spruce tim.
bers, with noticeably high corner posts,
that gave it degree of character
wholly wanting in the larger houses
OF the Vancouver island people. 1t
faced the river, with frontage of 40
feet 10 inches and depth of 53 feet
approximately the proportions of
Tlingit houses, large and small. Each
Of these old houses formed solid
the frame and planking sup
porting each other without the use Of
spikes. The doorway, which was the
Dnly opening in the walls, was ap-
by two steps. :
The interior formed an excavation
four feet nine inches below the ground
evel, with two receding steplike plat
Iorms. The lower square floor space, 26
feet by 26 feet 8 inches, constituted the
living and working room COM
mon to all, except that portion In the
rear and opposite the entrance, which
was reserved for the use of the house
chief, his immediate family, and most
guests. This was the
place of honor in all Tlingit houses
upon all occasions, ceremonial or 9th
nrwise. The flooring, of heavy, split,
planks of varying widths, ex-
tended around central graveled fire.
place six feet by six feet and a half.
where all of the cooking was done over
A wood fire that also heated the house
in winter. In front of and little to
the right of the fire space was q small
,ellarlike apartment entered by q small
trapdoor in the floor barely large
enough to admit person. This was
used as a steam bath, by heating
powders in the fire, dropping them on
the floor below with split wood tongs,
and pouring water upon them to gen
crate vapor, whereupon the bather en-
tered and the opening was covered
over.
The first platform, extending around
the main floor at an elevation of two
and three-fourths feet, served both
rs step, and as lounging place in
The daytime. The upper and broader
platform, rising two feet above that
below, was at the ground level, and
vas iloored with heavy planks. This
constituted the sleeping place
of the inmates.