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Coast Salish Essays
Wayne Suttles has devoted much of his professional life to research on the cultures of the Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest, especially the Coast Salish of the Georgia Strait-Puget Sound Basin. Born and raised in this region, he has been guided by a life-long love of its natural environment and wish to know how its Native peoples lived in it, understood it and felt it. In 1946 he began ethnographic field work with the Straits peoples and in 1951 presented in his Ph.D. dissertation one of the fullest accounts that we have of the fishing, hunting and gathering foundation of a Northwest Coast Indian culture. He is probably best known for his contribution to the “ecological” approach to the Northwest Coast. In essays included in this volume, he was the first to challenge the received wisdom that Northwest Coast Indians lived in perpetual Eden-like abundance and that their lavish potlatches were merely the expression of cultural values gone wild, and he was the first to suggest that cultural differences within the Northwest Coast may be related to environmental differences. These essays have had a lasting impact on the study of the Northwest Coast, provoking argument and suggesting problems for research and hypotheses to test in both social anthropology and archeology. Other essays deal with Native knowledge, belief and art, with Native responses to the European invasion, and with the prehistory of Northwestern North America. All are updated with references to more recent works and the author’s own reconsideration of some matters.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 5, 2018
A collection of several essays by scholar Wayne Suttles, who is an expert in the field of Coastal Salish studies. Due to the fact that these are several individual essays, the collection is quick to read through if you pace yourself. There are some "dry" moments but those interested in the Coastal Salish would benefit from picking up this collection, and like myself, may not notice the "dry" areas because of that interest. Could also be taken in pieces and used in upper-level college courses (for those interested in teaching!).
I was particularly interested in the discussion on pacifism, and the changing understanding of warfare in the Pacific Northwest region.
I was particularly interested in the discussion on pacifism, and the changing understanding of warfare in the Pacific Northwest region.
December 2, 2022
An absolute wealth of well-documented information on pre-Contact life in the Pacific Northwest.
May 6, 2010
I grew up mostly in Washington state and you can't live there five minutes without clueing into the amazing history and culture of the original inhabitants. Wayne Suttles is an expert on the American Indians of this region and his essays here on the Coast Salish are excellent.
They are also a bit dry, but would not likely be to someone studying this information on a deeper level than myself. For example, my favorite chapter was on the Bigfoot legend while I had to work not to skim chapters on linguistics or social structure. I found chapters on sea mammal hunting and the spread of the potato more interesting.
What's exciting to me is that Suttles was presenting before unknown information in these essays when they were published over the course of three decades. He debunked a number of preconceived notions and shed a great deal of light on what was then a mysterious subject. You can feel the love and respect he has for his subject and the deep fascination it held for him.
Very informative but geared toward anthropology students and professionals.
They are also a bit dry, but would not likely be to someone studying this information on a deeper level than myself. For example, my favorite chapter was on the Bigfoot legend while I had to work not to skim chapters on linguistics or social structure. I found chapters on sea mammal hunting and the spread of the potato more interesting.
What's exciting to me is that Suttles was presenting before unknown information in these essays when they were published over the course of three decades. He debunked a number of preconceived notions and shed a great deal of light on what was then a mysterious subject. You can feel the love and respect he has for his subject and the deep fascination it held for him.
Very informative but geared toward anthropology students and professionals.
July 27, 2015
A collection of essays on selected topics relating to the Coast Salish not a full ethnography but essential for anyone interested in the Coast Salish. Many of the topics are absolutely fascinating looks into understanding how and why this culture functioned as such a diverse and decentralized society. It also enlightens on an economical and political system so very foreign to our own today and one we could definitly learn from. I know I have! Wayne Suttles is the champion of Coast Salish anthropology. He his writings really make you appreciate the Coast Salish in relation to their Pacific Northwest neighbours. I'm am so happy this was published so that I could get a hold of it.
December 12, 2011
Read this one for the 2nd time while in China. Definitely only for those seriously interested in Coast Salish Culture and history. A fabulous book!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews