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 1888.] I'UOCKEUIXdS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 197 
 
 t 
 
 THE HOUSES OF THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS.* BRITISH COLUMBIA 
 
 liV Dk. 1 KANZ -liOAS. CJ 
 
 Is'o. 130414 of tisc ('atalo^ine of the Ktlinoloffical (.'olli'ctions of the 
 U. S Natioiiiil ]\Iii.scMim is a imuU'l of a house from Foit iJnpert, 
 liritish Cohmibia (FiiJ. 1). Thoiij^h the iiioiU'l is very rough it is of coU' 
 siderable interest, as it shows tlie carved i>osts which are eliaracteristiis 
 of these liouses and as the I'.gures in it re])resent one of the winter 
 dances in whicli niasked men make their a]>i>earance. 
 
 ■■•-;.< I.-. -\. ... — T . ._ •.•-■'-.., . ■ , 'Wii- :■.'•■ H'-' ■■■■■• >-• •-•—.:' 
 
 Fig. 1. Moilel of n K wakiiitl house, Fort llupert, B. C. 130414. 
 
 In the following |)ages I shall describe the ]>hin of the Indian house 
 •and the meaning of the i)osts according to observations made in IJritish 
 (.'olund>ia, 18.S(J-'87. The model is a plain wooden house with a. ole 
 roof, one side of which is moveable on hinges, thus allowing the student 
 to look into the interior. The door is coveicd witli a curtain, ami 
 windows adnut the light. The ])ieces of wood forming tln^ walls of the 
 liouso are nailed to a franu>. Tliis arrangement does not correspond to 
 the real arrangement of the Indian house, as will be seen by the follow- 
 
 * 111 llio iircst'iit jiiiiKT tli(^ al|)lial»'t (tf tlits I?nri'iiii (if i;t]iiiol(i;;y lian lict'ii adopted. 
 Tlio VDWfls an* pronouiH'cd as iii Italiun, tlio coiissiinant.s as in Eii};li'"l'i ^^illl the 
 following exceptions and additions: 
 
 o =r e ill power. i ^^ = tli in tliin. 
 
 c — sli ill slioc. I tl = till exidosivi' sound ]irodneed by lay- 
 
 q = cli in German liacli. | iiig the liack of I'.ic ton;,nie against tlio 
 
 1[ = eh in (Ji'iiiian icli, i jialale and iiressiiio Cortli tjie air on IiotU 
 
 :3[ = guttural k, alnioHt kr. [ sides of tin- tonni'i'. 
 
198 
 
 HOUSES OI' KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 
 
 Ing description, hut the jxists iiml tlie timbers carrying the central part 
 of tho roof are, exactly like tho.so of the houses. The houses of the 
 
 Fiii. 'J. (iioiiml pliin of Kwakiiitl hoiide. 
 
 Ivwakinti and tlieii' iici-ihbors form n s(inar(', tiie side.s of which are from 
 4<> to ('•»> t'cet Ion-;- (Fi}is. 2, .% t). Tlie doui ( />) is {-eneraily in the center 
 of the side nearest the sea, which forms the front of the house. The 
 
 Kill. ;i. Constnu-tinn of Kwaklutlliouac. Front elevaUon. 
 
 latter has a },Mble roof, tlic iid«(» of which runs from the front to the 
 rear. Tiie walls consist of boards, which are fastened to a frame-work 
 
 f 
 
ItitiS.] rUOOEKDlNGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 109 
 
 <»f lK)los. The sides of tlie jloor are formed by two i)osts (^l) from G to 
 8 iiK'lR's ill diameter and standing about 4 feet apart. Over the door 
 they areeonneeted by a erosibar (/>, V\<i. .'$). Sometimes this frame-woriv 
 of the door consists of heavy i)lank8. The frame-work of the house front 
 
 FlQ. 4. CocMtructioii of Kwiikiutl bouNt*. Loin;itu<liiiiil sfction, Cronictod. 
 
 >in 
 er 
 he 
 
 he 
 )rk 
 
 consists of two or tliree vertieal judes (T), about 3 inehes in diameter, 
 on e.u'h si(U' of tlie door. They are from 8 to 10 feet apart. Tlieir 
 lenjith dimiiiisiies toward the sides of {\w lionse ae»u)rdinH; to the inclina- 
 tion of ) he roof. These poles are (!onnecled by loujjf crossbars ( E), which 
 are tied to their outer side with ropes of cedar bark at half the distance 
 between the roof and the {ground. Tlie (ramewoik of the lear part is 
 similar to that of the front, but that of the sides is far stronger, as it 
 has to support the roof. Two heavy posts (F) alxiut i) inches indianu>- 
 ter are erected. Their heads are cut out ami a beam of the same 
 (bameter is lai<l over them. At the Joints it is <mt out so as to (it into 
 the heads of the jxjsts. On both sides of the door and in the corres|»ond- 
 iufj i)art of the rear side, about '■^ feet distant from the central line of 
 the luuise, the supports of the roof ( 6') are erected. These form the 
 principal part of the frame work, and are the first to be made when the 
 house is built. They stand about 3 feet from the walls inside the house 
 These upri;;hts are aliout 1.] feet in diameter and are generally con- 
 nected by a crosspiecte {(r) of the same diameter. On each sid(M)f the 
 cross-piece rests a heavy beam (//) which runs from the front to the rear 
 of the house. 
 
 Sometimes these beams are sujtported by additional tiprigbts (T'), 
 which stand near the center of the house. The laficis {!!) are laid over 
 these heavy timbeis ami the beams forming the tops of the sides. They 
 are about <S inches in diameter. Light poles al»out 3 inches thick are 
 laid across the rafters. They rest agair >t the vertical poles (C) in the 
 front and rear of the house, and are fastened lo the lafters with ropes 
 made of cedar bark. A fter the heavy framework which supports the 
 central part of the roof is er.'cted a bank about 3 feet in height is raised 
 all around the outlines of the house, its outer sidi' coinciding with the 
 lines where tlie walls are to ite erected. Long, heavy boiuds 4 or 5 
 inches thick are implanted lengthwise along the front of the house, their 
 
200 
 
 HOUSKS (IF KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 
 
 uppJT «'(l{i('.s staiMliii}; li.3 or 3 fi-et above tin; jjrouiid. Then tlu» earth 
 foriiiin^ the liank is stamped afi'aiiist them, and thus a platform is made 
 runiiiti;^' ah>ii<; the iroiit of the house. Later on tliis is coiitiiiiied all 
 aroiiiid the house. The frame woik of the (rout is the next to 1h' erected, 
 the poles {(') standiiij; in the earth forming; the platlorm. The ujijier 
 edges of the front ixiards whitth were implanted into the j^round are 
 grooved, and in this groove the boards forming tlie fnmt wall stand. 
 They are tied or nailed to the erossbaf (A') and to the foremost r^iter, 
 whieh is connected with the framework of the Iront. The next thing to 
 bo done is to make the rear wall and the sides. The former exjjctly c<tr- 
 respontls to the front, the door only being wanting. The boar<ls forming 
 the side walls are im[»lanted into the ground, standing veitieally. their 
 upper ends being tied to the beam forming the top of the framework. 
 Tiie i»latform riinning along the inner sides <»f the walls is tinished by 
 stamping the earth against the side walls. The roof consists of a pecu- 
 liar kind of boards, whieh run from the gable to the sides of the house 
 and rest on the beams (F). They lap on tlu'ir edges like Cliinese tile.j. 
 This arrangement has the effect that the rain runs from the roof wiih(uit 
 ])enetrating into the house. The house front is generally linislieil by 
 (fitting the boards off along the roof and by tinishing tiiem off with a 
 molding. Three blocks are placed in front of the docu', forming steps 
 (T) that lead to the platlbrm. Three steps of the same kind lead from 
 the jilatfoini to the lloiu' of the house. The boaid forming the inner 
 side of the platform slopes slightly inward. The house has no smoke 
 escape, but several of the boards forming the roof can be imshed aside. 
 J)uring the night these opeinngs are closed, but in t,u' morning one 
 board over every tiic place is juished aside by means of a long pole. As 
 it is necessary to look after the roof from time to time, a s'ationary lad- 
 der is leaned against the side of the house. Jt ('onsists o.'" one half of 
 the trunk of a tree or of a heavy board, into the upper si»le of wh'ch 
 steps are cut. 
 
 Fill. 5. Ci\ivi'il st'ttci' in It liii\isi' iit (^)iMnl;i'.s|)(' (Miipc ImIiiiuI). 
 
 The house is inhabited by four families, who o(H!upy the four corners, 
 and each of whom has a tiic-place of its own. The corners belonging 
 to each laniily are divided oil from flic main nxnii l>y a rough frame- 
 work (»f p((les, the top of which is used for (Irving tish oi' other soi ts of 
 food. In the villages at the northern cud o| \';iiicou\cr Island a pecul- 
 iar kind of frauu' is usv'd for this purpose, while farther south poles are 
 
 ♦ 
 
 I 
 
t 
 
 I 
 
 18S8.] PUOCKKIJIN'OS OF UNITKD ."^TATES NAilONAL MIISKIM. 201 
 
 laid across the IVame-work. On o.wh sitle of the lire stands tiic imnu'iiso 
 8t*tt(H' {Via. .■»)*, \vlii(!li is lar;,M' t'lioiijjli lor tliii wliole family. It lias no 
 iV»'t, is about 7 feet loufjf and i tVi't deep, and its sides slope slij;htly 
 backward, HO as to foi in a (lonvenient suppoit for the back. Boards 
 urc laid alon^ the foot of the rear and front platform and on the side of 
 the lire opposite the settee. The arraii^einent is sometimes made a 
 little dilferent, the settee beiiifj wanlinj;, or in some instances standinj? 
 on the rear side. This depends on tlu! arran<,'enicnt of the bedrooms 
 (A), These bedrooms have the form of small houses which are built on 
 the platform running' around the house. .Most of these bedrooms have 
 yable roofs, ami their fronts ai<'. tinished oil with inoldin<i;s. The section 
 oi' cd (Fijx. 4) explains the airan^i'tnent better than any description can 
 ■<lo. Komctimes these rooms an^ enlar^^cd by adding a low extension to 
 the house, tliu lloor of which is elevated as high as the platform. In 
 the center of such rooms there is a small lire-i)lace. The i)lan8 of the 
 Jiousesof the separate gen tes show slight diU'ercnces. In some instances 
 the heavy beams (//) rest on the uprights (L'), the cross piece (6') being 
 
 ^^v:-,.^ 
 
 Fui. d. — View iif tlie rrar imrt of n Iiouko in Qiiiiitii's])6. 
 
 wanting (Fig. 0); in other instances there is oidy a single timber (5) 
 resting on the center of the cioss-i)iece ((/'). Certain large houses that 
 
 *'l"lit^ tigiires are IVoiii bkctciics by the iiiitlior. 
 
202 
 
 HOUSES OF KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 
 
 bi'Ioii;,' to the frroatest chiefs have a miiiilnMof ste]).s or platforms, iinm- 
 boiiii;;' from li to 4, instead of a Hiii<,'k' platform of tin' house <U's(;ril»e(l 
 here. These .steps «'ither run sill aroiiinl tiie house, giviiifj it somewhat 
 the api)earau('eof an amphitlu'ater, or aro eonlineil to the rear side. Jii 
 traditions houses are mentioned with ten steps. Kacii house has its 
 name, as will be seen from the view of the villa}i«M)f Quinta'spe, on 
 Plate \xxviii, in which the names of four houses are given. In front 
 of tlu' villa;;o the Okuiua'lle bight is seen, bounded by the narrow point 
 Tla'sota, on which the natives grow some i)otatoe.s on a small indoHure. 
 Ik'hind this point the hills «)f(laIiano Island, IvaqacithV and We^iocoa 
 are seen which are freipiently nuMitioned in the legends of these tribes. 
 The island is ilividetl from Hope Islaml by the Strait of Oqsa'. 
 
 The houses generally face the beach ami are built in a row. (See 
 Plate xxxviii.) In front of the town there is ii street, which is carefully 
 leveled, the lower side being supported by an erid)ankment of heavy 
 logs. Prom here steps lead down to the beach, wln're the canoes are 
 lying. Opposite to the houses, <ui the sea side of tlu^ street, there are 
 l)lat forms, on whicii the Indians pass most (tf their time, gambling am' 
 conversing. The platform rests on si framework of poles and on the 
 embankment of the street, as shown in Pig. a, Plate xxxviii. 
 
 Among tiie tribes speaking the Ileiltsuk dialect and among the iJil- 
 qula the same kind of house is in use, with slight deviations. The house 
 rests on jiiles in the same way as the platlnrm of the ivwakiutl does, 
 only the rear part resting on the ground. It may be, h()wever,that the 
 character of the ground accounts for this method of building wherever 
 it is applied, as it is dillieult to level a slopi^ of steep grade, and in such 
 cases it will be more (MUivenient to suiipiut tiie house i»y piles. The 
 same style of house is used from Comox, on Vancouver Island, to Dean 
 Inlet. Parther north the Ilaida house, which, although similar, has 
 some peculiarities of its own, is found, while farther south theimmeii.ve 
 long houses of the Salish coast tribes are used. Uut to return to the 
 Kwakiutl house: The uprights are always car\ed according to the crest 
 of the gens of the house-owner. In the model they rei»resent men 
 standing on the heads of animals (Pigs. 7, 8, *.)). Before (lis(!ussiug 
 these carved i)osts a few remarks of a general character will be made. 
 The tribes of the northwest coast of America are all divided into gentcs. 
 But while among the niuthein i»eoi)k's, the Tlingit, Ilaida, Tsimshian, 
 and Ileiltsuk, the child belongs to the mother's gens, it belongs to that 
 of the father among the Kwakiutl and Salish. All these tribes claim 
 to be autochthonous. According to their traditions the ancestor of each 
 gens descended from heaven, in most cases in shape of a bird, and be- 
 came a man. The crest headoi)ted hints at certain exploits that he has 
 made. 
 
 I shall give a few characteristic; traditions that show the connection 
 between the carvings in the house, the masks, etc., with the legends 
 referring to the ancestors of ihe gentes. 
 
Pr Ktadingt U. S. National Musaum, Vol. XI, 1888 Boot. 
 
 Plate XXXVIII. 
 
 orrns, mnn- 
 i> (lescrilKMl 
 : soiiK'wliat 
 ir side. Iii 
 UNO liii.s its 
 iita'spf", on 
 . In front 
 irrow point 
 I iiiclosuro. 
 \Vr''qOc()ii 
 H'sc tribes. 
 
 row. (See 
 is carefully 
 t of heavy 
 eanoes nra 
 , there are 
 ii])lin^r ani^ 
 iid on the 
 
 ii}j tiie iJil- 
 Thc house 
 kiutl does, 
 er, thattlie 
 ; wherever 
 nd in sudt 
 )iles. Tlie 
 il, to Dean 
 iiiihir, han 
 e iiniiieii.se 
 nil to tlie 
 () tlieeiv.st 
 L»sent men 
 dis(!ii.s.siiig 
 1 1)0 made, 
 itogeutes. 
 rsiinsliian, 
 \gs to that 
 'ibes claim 
 tor of each 
 •d, and be- 
 hat he has 
 
 connection 
 JO legends 
 
leee.] prockkdinos of united states national miskim. 2u3 
 
 (1) Wiila.siioiiio'jjois tlio Kioiit XoiiioNjois [ix pons of tlu' Kwakiiitl). 
 AViihi.'*ii<>iii<)'>(i)i.s (UvscoiiiU'd IVoiii tln^ sun to the caitli antl Uiiilf a lioiis«« 
 ill T»a't|i.s (Tort Unpt'it;. His son was DuracitiVlatlc The latter saw 
 many wala and seaotttTs on tlu* island >|a'iiisi(itl«' (Sludl Island). As 
 be liatl no boat bo took a loj; <»t driftwood instead, went to tin* island 
 
 Ficis. 7, 8. Carved itpriglits in tbe Kwakiutl house. 130414. 
 
 and killed many scmIj ind sea-otters. On liis return to Tsa'ijis he gavo 
 a feast and gave away nuniercns otter skins and many boxes of seal 
 oil. Then he went to Gyoky ( = - house, a itlace about .'J miles east of 
 Fort linpeit) and a.seended the river that discharges its waters tiiere. 
 Near the sources of this river he met a man by the name of Ma'kakyu, 
 who gave him a boat. Tlien Om'aiita'hitk'' wandered eastward and in 
 the country of the Ma'inalele>ialahc met with Nawatsilejjala, who was of 
 the Tsawat'r'ii(»[ tribe. lie went with him to his house and look Naw- 
 atsilevala'sdaujiliter, naa(i>|()hl'tleme>|a, for liis wile. His f;itiier in-law 
 gave him the emblems of his gens and after his return to the >fwakiutl 
 country Om'a<|tiVlatle built a new house in Ky'a'>|a, the i>osts and beams 
 of which he carved according to the emblems he had receive<l in the 
 laud of the Tsawat'enoj[. The two uprights in the front part of the 
 
204 
 
 HOUSES OF KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 
 
 /Pk 
 
 Fig. 11. Sun mask. 
 
 house represent two men : Yr''>ientV>|a (soinethin<,' talking inside) and 
 WaweqGinitl (Uic orator). Tliu uiJriyhts in tlie rear of tlie house also 
 
 represent n)en : Le(je'laqsta (the braggart) and 
 IIasa>ia\va'sui (attempting to talk louder than 
 anybody else). The uprights in front of 
 the house supjjort the beams that represent 
 the Sisiutl (a double- 
 beaded snake), while 
 those in the rear of 
 the house are eon. 
 iH'cted by a cross-])ie(;e 
 representing a Sisiutl 
 (or wolf?), ui)on which 
 
 the beams rest. The 
 hinges of tiie house 
 door are at its upper 
 
 edge. It is very heavy 
 and crushes everj* bad 
 
 num who attempts to enter the house, flis 
 dancing nmsk was called Olikyen, and repre- 
 sented a wolf; the dam;e in which it is used is 
 called Walas iKja'k (something great coining 
 from above). 
 
 When the house was finished Om'aqta'Iatle 
 gave a great feast, and the beams and ui)riglits 
 of his house began to move. Tlie Sisiutl i)layed 
 with their tongues. The nu'ii began to talk 
 and told the Sisiutl to kill all enemies of their 
 master. 
 
 (L*) Sentlae(a gens of the Tlanitsis, Nimkic, 
 Na>ioarto>[,andlvwakiutl). 
 Sentlae, the sun, des(!ended from heaven in shape of a biid and was 
 transf<u-med into a man. lie built a house in Vi:['a'men. Thence he 
 wandered to Afomoks and married a woman of that tribe. He visited 
 the Thuiitsis, Nimkic, and >*'a'>[oarto>|, and mmried a woman of each of 
 these tribes. At last he came to Tliksi'wae, in the country of the Kwak- 
 iutl, and built a house in Aj'aioq. There he remained. lie took a wife 
 among the Kwakiutl, and they had a son who was called Tsj|tsa''lis. 
 
 On his house front a sun is i)ainted on each side of the door. The 
 ui)rights represent men carrying suns. Their name is LeIa't"otp':s and 
 they were slaves of Sentlae. The cro.ssbars connecting the uprights 
 arc also men, the beams sea lions. Three steps lead up to the door. 
 They represent men whose names are TlC'nonis. The heraldic (robimn 
 of the gens, called Sentlc'ijr'm, is shown in I'ig. 10. It represents a series 
 of coi)pers, t)iie standing upon the other. On top of the coppers there 
 is a uuiu extending his arm as though he were talking. His name is 
 
 TUi. 9. Ciirvcil ii|)ii(;lit in the 
 KwiikiiiU huiiHL', r.iOUi. 
 
 ' } 
 
1888.] PROCEEDINGS Or UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 205 
 
 
 <iizz^i 
 
 La'qt'otpes (sing, of Lt'la'cit'otpes = he who gives presents to .strangers 
 
 only). The top of the coluiim is the 
 
 Tle'sehiqenitJ, a mask representing the 
 
 sun surrounded by wooden ra.vs. In the 
 
 dance TsiVe>[a they use the sun mask (Fig. 
 
 11); in the dance YjVui(ia the dog mask 
 
 Ku'loqsa. Tiiis name is said to mean the 
 
 sun siiining red through the mist. 
 
 A simpler form of the column of this 
 gens may be seen in Fig. 12, where, as in 
 the last case, the face of the sun is fastened 
 to the top of a pole. 
 
 (3) Kuc'ipikila (a subdivision of the gens 
 Omeatl of t he tribe Tlat hisi >[oa]a ). ( )meatl, 
 the raven, had adaugliter, IJa'tana. Once 
 upon a time lla'ta>(a ate sea eggs that she 
 had caught, although her father had for- 
 bidden her to do so. In his anger he 
 ordered all the inhabitants of the village 
 to remove 
 
 andd 
 
 esert her. The poor giii, 
 when left all alone, made a tishbasket of 
 cedar twigs and trii'd to catch lish on the 
 beach. One day she found a young man 
 in tliL basket, the son of A.|()Mio'>[(ia, the 
 spirit of the sea, who brought her a huge 
 whale and became her husband. By him 
 she had a son, Kue'(|akila. The boy used 
 to paddle about in Iiis boat, and on one 
 occasion he found the head of a whale that 
 was eaten by the raven. He took it into 
 the boat, and then he discovered that he 
 had found the Sisiutl. Tiie lish began to 
 move Iiis tins, and thus propelled the 
 boat. Later on Kiie'tpikiia descended 
 into the sea to his lather, A[omo>[oa. 
 Four days he remained there and left 
 with many gilts. But when he returned 
 he found that he had been four years in 
 A>[onm>|oa's ho-'-^e. Among the gitls he 
 had received was the heraldic column, 
 which is since that time used by that 
 gens (Fig. 13). The lowest figure rep- 
 resents the Tson<V>|oa. On top of it is 
 a Bekuc with a split skull ( = man, a 
 spirit of the sea with long hair), staml- 
 ing on his head; the next tigure is au- 
 
 f^^ 
 
 
 PC 
 
 < 
 
 .^>i 
 
 i^i m 
 
 L: 
 
 CE) 
 
 10. Ilernldic column Sgntlu'qem 
 tli« GenH Seutlutt ; Alert Bay. 
 
 r 
 
20G 
 
 HOUSES OF KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 
 
 Fig. 12. Gables of liousea at Alert Bay. 
 
 Other Bcknc. On top of it a wolf is standing;, whose fore paws are iu 
 the luoiitiis of two human heads. On toj) of the wolf sits a beaver, and 
 tJie iipiHTiiiost litjure is the lialibut. Tlie two boards bearing- the 
 English inscriptions were nailed to the lion.se by a white trader. IJnt I 
 
 should advise future explorers not to 
 tru.st the man 'Cheap' (a corruption of 
 ''chief"), as he is the 'greatest liar' on 
 the whole coast. Formerly the Sisiutl 
 was painted on the front of the house, 
 butatthe request of the Indian agent, 
 Mr. Cheap, whose proper name is jjo- 
 niena'kulu, whitewashed it, and unfortu- 
 nately I could only see a few faint traces 
 of the painting. In consideration of 
 this action he was ai)pointed constable 
 and presented with an old uniform and 
 a ling. It was made his special duty 
 to prevent dances and feasts, and since 
 that time he dances in this uniform and 
 with the tlag. 1 found the characteristic 
 Sisiutl on a settee in his house (Fig. 5). 
 Fart of the rear of this house is shown 
 in Fig. 0. The upright that holds the 
 ceiKral beam in its mouth represents the sea lion. 
 (4) Nomase'iu)ilis (a gens of the Tlatlasijjoala). 
 
 !KomaS(''n(iilis descended from heaven and built a house. On his her- 
 aldic column were two eagles that watched his house. lie had three 
 children — a blind daugther, Aikya'ooia; a son, Tleqya'likilaj and a 
 daughter, Naqnaisilao'>ioa. 
 
 Oiu^ day Aikya'oejja wanted to go to Yajiama'lis (noi)e Island) to 
 pick berries. A slave accompanied her in her boat, and when after a 
 long time they had not yet arrived in Ya>iama'lis, though it was only a 
 short way off, she asked, "^Vhere are we? We ought to be in Yajia- 
 ma'lis by this time." The slave answered, "I do not know. I do not 
 see Ya>[aina'lis, nor do I see the eagles on the post before your house." 
 They sailed a long time without seeing land. At last an island loomed 
 lip on the horizon, and in coming nearer they saw a town. There lived 
 Tla'}[oakila (/. e., with copper plates). When he saw the boat he in- 
 vited the travelers to enter his house, and he took Aikya'oe>ia for his 
 ■wife. 
 
 Nomase'iKiilis, however, mourned his daughter as though she were 
 dead. Ills heart was very sad, and he threw the post of his house into 
 the sea. The tide carried it to Va>|ama'lis, where Nomase'nciilis built a 
 new house. 
 
 Aikya'oe>|a had two children, Tla'>|oakila and Tla'sutewalis. One 
 day she left them playing near the lire while she went to the beach to 
 
8 are m 
 rer, and 
 ■iuii the 
 
 r>nt I 
 
 I not to 
 ptioii of 
 
 liar' oil 
 J Sisiutl 
 3 house, 
 
 II agent, 
 'd is ^jo- 
 unfoitu- 
 iit traces 
 atioii of 
 on stable 
 orin and 
 ial duty 
 nd since 
 forin and 
 leteristic 
 
 (Fig. 5). 
 is shown 
 lolds the 
 
 1 his her- 
 lad three 
 !i; and a 
 
 island) to 
 ;n after a 
 as only a 
 in Ya>ia- 
 1 do not 
 ir house." 
 id loomed 
 liere lived 
 oat be iu- 
 >pi for bis 
 
 she were 
 house into 
 ilis built a 
 
 alls. One 
 i beach to 
 
 1888.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. '201 
 
 get dams. The chihlrmln playing about fell upon tlu^ feet of tlanr 
 gvambnother. At last she got angry and sai.l, '' Now dm^t I- '^^ '«;;'; 
 I do not even know wIumv vour n.other eonuvs from." 'he b Ue ones 
 felt unhappv, and when llu-ir mother returned thev asked, ' MotluM, 
 where is vour home ? (^:randmother says she does not know where you 
 came from." The mother replied, "I went with a slave in my boat. 
 For many davs we drifted to and fro and at last we reached thiseouu- 
 
 Fio. 13. Km"'(|akilii'» lioiaUlio column at Qumta'sqO. 
 
 try." " Oh, make us happy," crie.l the children, "let us go and see our 
 grandfather." Then she told them that he was a mighty chief. Their 
 father gave them his copper boat, which he filled with ccjiper plates, 
 and Ainya'oopi said to them before parting, "Before you come to my 
 home vou will hear the eagles cry on our post." They started, and after 
 along journey they heard the eagles on the post, and now they knew 
 that they were near Xomase'nqilis's house. They gave him the copper 
 
208 
 
 II0U8KS OF KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 
 
 plates, and all the i)eoi)lo, admired their copper boat, the copper pad- 
 dles, and the copper bailer. They staid for some time with the old 
 man, bnt then they returned home. Their grandfather gave theiu 
 costly skins and blankets before they left. 
 
 Later on ^janikila {v. infra) transformed Nomase'nqilis into a stone. 
 TlfMiyi'ilikila, Nomase'nqilis's son, emigrated at that time to Quspalis, 
 where he built a new house. His son was Tse'selaso, who had three 
 sons, O'maliqsfe, \Va'las>|oa, and Kya'b(amistal. 
 0'mali(ist6 was aiigiy with the toads that croaked 
 every niorning in the woods. lie ordered them to be 
 silent,a!nl since that time they do not croak anymore. 
 KyaMj[amistal carved a human ligure out of cedar, to 
 whon) he gave life by pointing with his finger toward 
 it. He gave him the nanje VVa'-tsijista. A statue 
 representing the man stands in the house (Fig. G) by 
 the side of the bed-room, bnt has unloitunately been 
 omitted by the draughtsman. 
 
 I can iKJt give the numerous traditions connected 
 wii h these houses, but shall descril)e the emblems of a 
 few other gentes. The uprights in the rear of the 
 house of the gens Lalaqsini'ai.) of the Kue'tela tribe 
 represent each a Tsono'>|oa standing on the head of 
 a bear that holds the Tson<V>|oa's feet. The latter 
 cany the beams. In the front of the house the beams 
 rest on a cross-bar representing a sea-lion. The up- 
 rights sup[»ortiiig the latter are seals holding the sea- 
 lion in their mouths. 
 
 The gens Tsiuipjaio of the same tribe has a .i< ..se 
 with seveial platforms and a post with two eagles on 
 its top standing in fiont of tin; house. 
 
 The house fuuit (see Plate xxxix) and the upright 
 (Fig. 1+) belong to the gens Kyriioya>|ame, the moon. 
 The central figure is the moon; the men in the center 
 of the circles representing K\;Vloya>pime himself. 
 The gens deiives its origin from this man, who is said 
 to have descended from heaven. Un the sides of the 
 door are two grizzly bears that another ancestor of 
 the house-owner obtained from a lVa'>[oarto>[ chief. 
 The upright consists of two figures. The lower one 
 is a female Tsono'>ioa holding a child between her legs; the upper one 
 is the moon (Fig. 14). Fig. 15 shows another house front in Qumta'spe 
 (Hope Island). The owner b- . Migs to another gens in the traditions of 
 which the thunder-bird Kunknnqulikya plays a great part, lie is s(piat- 
 ting over the door. To the right and to the left of the door we see 
 
 ''^V 
 
 \ 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 Flo. 14. I'nxt in liousto 
 in Qiiinlii'spv. slimv inii 
 niiioii unci i'.srinO >|iia. 
 
 another represent 
 the owner belonged 
 
 ition of Kya'loyajjame, to whose gens the mother 
 Figs. 10 and 17 are from tlie bouse of ^lalaite, 
 
 of 
 
Proceedings U S. Nationa' Museum, Vol. XI, 1 
 
 883.— Boai, 
 
 Plate XXXlX. 
 
 copper ptul- 
 
 ^itli the ol«l 
 
 gave theiu 
 
 into a stone, 
 to Qiispalis, 
 a bad three 
 ,a'h[ainistal. 
 hat croaked 
 I them to be 
 ak any more. 
 : of cedar, to 
 inger toward 
 a. A statue 
 se (Fig. G) by 
 anately been 
 
 ns connected 
 emblems of a 
 } rear of the 
 vue'tehi tribe 
 
 I the head of 
 . Tlie hvtter 
 ise the beams 
 ion. The up- 
 )hliiig the sea- 
 
 L' has a .j< ..se 
 twH) eagles on 
 
 id the upright 
 line, the moon. 
 
 II in the center 
 ypime himself, 
 aujwlio is said 
 he sides of the 
 ler ancestor of 
 ■>joarto>[ chief. 
 The lower one 
 
 the upper one 
 t in Qiimta'spe 
 lie traditions of 
 t. lie is scpiat- 
 le door we see 
 
 the mother of 
 m of ;jialaite, a 
 
188H.] PKOCEEDINGS OF UNlTEli iSTATK.S NATIONAI. MUSKUM. 209 
 
 chief of till' Na>[()iiikili.s, who lu'loii'is to the \jatiikila ptMis. Ajanilcila 
 in *'th(' {^reat tiansCormer'' of all tht'sc tiilu's. Ih; is the son of tlie deity, 
 and (U'seeiided from heaven in the shape of an eajjle. (\ianikila means 
 "he with spreadoiit winjis.*') Tlu'ieforc tiie {"ens has an ea^UMbr its 
 emblem. Th<' man on wIkiiii the i'aj;le rests is lU'ht'kiimlisila, one of the 
 tijjuies tliat \|aiiikila juit up in his house. 1 was unable to li'arn the 
 meaninji'of tiieotluT npiiylit (Fiy. 17). The name of tiie kuceliufi" man 
 on it is Silai'oqa. '1 he npi)er beiny was deseribed us •' the same as a 
 bear," but it is evidently a sea animal. 
 
 In the model Xo, l.'JOlllof the catalogue of the National Museum tlu^ 
 men who eaiiy the beams (Fiys. 7, .S, 1>) represent tiie slaves of onci of 
 the aneestors of the f;ens. The open mouth imlicates that they speak 
 fur the chief, as it is considered bcneatli a chief's dij^nity to speak to 
 the common ])eople. The ti<;iire carry in ji' the beam on its left should- 
 er is standiuj; on a bear's liead (Fij;. IS). Tiie animal, by wliieii the 
 other tiyure in tlu' rear of the house is snpportecl, is probably the wolf 
 (FiJ,^ 7). The nu'aniii";' of tlie liyiire that is inclosed in the ui)iiglit is 
 unknown to iiie (Fi^u'. t(). I have >een the same fi{j;ure in the villaf;e of 
 the Tlatlasi>[oala, at Qumta'spc (on Hope Island), but could nf)t learn 
 anything;' alxuit it. Neither can I say with any certainty to which <;ens 
 the house belon^^s, as there is no painting on the front. 
 
 From these remarks it will be clear that every single carving in the 
 bouses of these tribes has some connection with the traditions of the 
 gentes. The Indians of the i)resent time nnike various (H)nd)imitions of 
 the emblems of the gentes of both parents of the house-owner, and this 
 is the reason for tlie great variety of, forms. Besides this, legends re- 
 ferring to certiin ancestors are illustrated in the emblems, and thus it 
 happens that seemingly the ancient styles are not strictly adhered to. 
 
 It remains to explain several of the tigures frequently oc<nirring in 
 these carvings. One of the most frequent carvings is the slave of tlu^ 
 chief who is talking to the people. We saw him on the uprights of the 
 model, on the post of Sentlae (Figs. 7, 1(1), and in Fig. IS he is stan<ling 
 on the gable of a house. The omitted statue in Fig. (J and Fig. 19 be- 
 long to a similar class; the lattt-r represents a man by the name of 
 Kie'j[i.), who hohls a wcdf in his Inunls. Till^ back of the wolfs tail 
 shows a human face. The hind legs of the wolf are seen under the legs 
 of a man who sits on an animal, the meaning of which 1 do not know, 
 as the head is half buried in the ground, but i>robably it represents a 
 bear. Tiiese two figures ai'e hollowed out in the back, so that a man 
 can stand behind them and si)eak through their o[)en mouth, which acts 
 as a speaking tube. The men represent slaves of an ancestor, and when 
 the chief is speaking through the mouth at certain festivals it is sup- 
 posed that the slave is speaking. 
 
 In many of the figures we see the famous copper plates (thV3[oa), one 
 of which is seen between Figs. 7 and S. They are found painted on the 
 breasts of the men in the model, they form the lower part of the post of 
 Proc. N. M. 88 U 
 
210 
 
 HOUSES OF KWAKITTL INDIANS. 
 
 It 
 
 S«MitlaO, iiud the saint' ligiiio is on the body of Fig. IS. These plates 
 are highly valued, and ttvery tri'oe has another tradition referring to 
 their fabulous origin. One of these traditions has been told above. The 
 l)lates are made of native copper, which is found by the Tlingit on the 
 upper Yukon. Each plate has its own name. It is kept iu a separate 
 house into which women are not allowed to enter. They are clothed 
 and fed regularly. The value of a plate becomes the larger the more 
 fretpiently it has been given away as a present. The T-.sh<iped stronger 
 part is considered <^he more valuable. If a chief has been offended he 
 breaks si copper and gives the ))arts away. Then his adversary has to 
 do the satne, or else a stain of dishonor would rest upon him. Most of 
 the copi)ers are graved and ])aiiited so as to show one of the numerous 
 emblems of these tribes. The lower tield of the uppermost co|)per on 
 Sentlae's post (Fig. 10) shows four starfish; the ui)i)er one the head of 
 the wolf. In the upper field of the secoiul copper is tiie bear, while in 
 thi' lower one tiiere are four starlish. In the lower ones nothing but an 
 eye and mouth can be distinguished; but it is evident that they are 
 iutended to repiesent the same thing as the second copper. 
 
 ii 
 
 Via. 15. Ilouse front in Quintn'sptj. 
 
 Auother figure that is of fretiuent occurrence is the TsonO'>[oa. It is 
 the lowest figure in the jtost (Figs. 13, 14). Beside this the Tsouo'>|oa 
 appears in the form of masks, rattles, etc., in numerous carvings. This 
 being is kiujwn to tlie (Jatloltq, who evidently borrowed the tradition 
 from the Kwakiutl, to all tribes of Kwakiutl lineage and to the Bilqula. 
 The latter call it Snene'ijp One of the principal legends of the Tsou- 
 o'jioa is that she — for it is generally a woman — came with a basket ou 
 her back into the villages and put all the children into it. Then a little 
 
1H8H.J PU0CEEDING8 OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 211 
 
 \ I 
 
 ^ 
 
 V' ;i 
 
 
 
 i^ 
 
 I Ui 
 
 m 
 
 mM 
 
 [■^ a«*' 'I 
 
 P. 
 
 Figs. 16, 17. Uprights in the house of the Gens Hanikila in Qumta'spo. 
 
212 
 
 HOUSES OF KWAKIUTL IN'UIANS. 
 
 gill out SI slit ill tlui liottoiii of tlio Imakt't, and tliii.s all esoapetl. I was 
 told tliat this is the iiicaiiiii}; (tf Vi^. 14. The hijijt* eyeholes are'charae- 
 teristilt of Tsoiio'>|()a, and, in ease it is a woman, her enormous breasts. 
 
 On the house fiont (Kiy. I.".) we find the 
 thunder-bird. lie is an important (i;;iire 
 in many traditions and tlu'refore appears 
 ill nunu'rous combinations. The house 
 front (1*1. XI,) nIiows how Kunkunipilikya 
 tried to lilt thc.whale. Tin' h';;end says 
 that he had stolen the son of the raven, 
 who, in order to recover him, carved a 
 •whale out of a hufje cedar that he cov- 
 ered with a coatinjj; of ;fum. Then he let 
 
 Kli.. ]!>. A Clii. I's slave tall.iii;; 
 til tile |irii|ili'. Ali'lt ISiiV : iiliiiiit 
 ■i' hijiU. 
 
 Fifi. 19. Sliitiio in a Imnsd .at 
 Qllintil'Mpt' (Hopu I.slaiiiU : iiliiiiit 
 7' liii;li. 
 
 all kinds of aninuds <;o into the whale, and they went to the land of 
 the thunder-bird. \Vlienthe bird saw the whale ho sent out his youn,i!;est 
 son to catch it. He was unable to lift it. He stuck to the f;um and the 
 animals killed him. In this way the whole family was slauj;litered. 
 
 Thesamedesiyn is found on a house front inXuqalky. The iJihpila, who 
 live thei'e, have the same tales of the thunder-bird ; they call it Saiotl. 
 
 Another llgure that is freipiently represented in the carviiiys of these 
 tribes is the Sisiutl, the fabulous double-headed snake that can adoi)t 
 the shape of any fish. The traditions referring to this beiny' are partic- 
 ularly important among the ;)fauitcin and thei' neijibbors, but all tribes 
 from Puget Sound to Dean Inlet have traditions referring to it. 
 
 I mentioned above that the style of houses discussid here does not 
 extend farther south than Comox, on Vancouver Island. The tribe that 
 lives there, the ^latlolt, belong to the Coast Salish, but they have inter- 
 
 •4) 
 
PlOCCadingb U & Natibfiui n^utaurn v..i XI, l8B8.-Boi( 
 
 Plate XL. 
 
 r. 
 
 > 
 < 
 
 CO 
 
 ^- 
 a: 
 
 I- 
 < 
 
 J 
 
 P 
 
 6 
 
 z 
 
 UJ 
 
 O 
 
 u 
 
 I 
 (- 
 
 O 
 
 I 
 
 o 
 
 I- 
 
 o 
 
 IT 
 
 < 
 
 r 
 
 O 
 
 I- 
 
 o 
 
 z 
 > 
 <r 
 
 o 
 
 a 
 
 CO 
 I 
 a: 
 
 UJ 
 Q 
 
 Z 
 
 I 
 I- 
 LiJ 
 
 X 
 
 I- 
 
p" 
 
Ill 
 m 
 
 ] I'HOCI.KI'INdS CI' lMTi;i> WTAT...S NATIONAL Ml>i:!'M. '2111 
 
 arri.-a uitli a tiilH.<.f Kwakiutl linca-.. mid tlnis a.1o|)tM many of the 
 vthical ti},'uir.s of tlio latter. 'I'licir (.wii clianvcti'ii.stuj aesitjii (l-'ig. lil) 
 
 Fio. 20. Post in a house at 
 Coniox, Mliowiii;; QiVtcioO. 
 
 FlQ. 21. Base of Fifr. 20 
 L>nlai-;;i(l. (Jati|<)i- 
 
 is the Qa'eaoe, a bird like Deiiig that desceiukd from boaven and be 
 came the ancestor of the yutlolt.