Potlatch ceremonies and colonial suppression in the Pacific Northwest, 1792–1951

1. European surveys expand coastal contact networks

   Jan 1, 1792Labels: British expeditions, Spanish expeditions, Salish Sea

   • Britannica
   • Parks Canada

2. Potlatch remains central to governance and economy

   Jan 1, 1850Labels: Potlatch, Northwest Coast, Indigenous governance

   • Burke Museum
   • KnowBC

3. Missionaries and officials intensify anti-potlatch pressure

   Jan 1, 1880Labels: Missionaries, Colonial officials

   • AMNH
   • KnowBC

4. Canadian law criminalizes potlatch participation

   Jan 1, 1884Labels: Indian Act, Canadian Parliament

   • Cambridge Core
   • Public Safety

5. Potlatch continues underground despite the ban

   Jan 1, 1890Labels: Underground potlatches, Cultural adaptation

   • Burke Museum
   • KnowBC

6. Post-WWI enforcement becomes more aggressive

   Jan 1, 1919Labels: Postwar enforcement, Canadian authorities

   • KnowBC
   • AMNH

7. Cranmer potlatch is raided at Village Island

   Dec 1, 1921Labels: Cranmer potlatch, Kwakwaka wakw, Village Island

   • KnowBC
   • U mista

8. Dozens are arrested and sentenced

   Jan 1, 1922Labels: Prosecutions, Community leaders

   • KnowBC
   • U mista

9. Ceremonial regalia are confiscated and dispersed

   Mar 1, 1922Labels: Ceremonial regalia, Museums

   • U mista
   • AMNH

10. Communities preserve potlatch knowledge in secret

    Jan 1, 1930Labels: Oral tradition, Hidden practices

    • Burke Museum
    • Indigenous Ed

11. Revised Indian Act removes the potlatch ban

    Jan 1, 1951Labels: Indian Act, Canadian law

    • UBC DCHP
    • OpenTextBC

12. Public potlatches re-emerge after legalization

    Jan 1, 1952Labels: Public potlatches, Cultural recovery

    • U mista
    • AMNH