The Life and Death of an Indian State

Abstract

The Gulf of Georgia Salish tribes — the Homalthko, Tlahoose, Sliammon and Seschelt — which are subjects of this report, present a challenging problem in Northwest Coast acculturation for the following reasons: (1) the almost complete sloughing-off at a relatively early contact period of their ceremonial culture (that is, of the potlatches and dancing rituals that are generally accepted as the main integrating features of Northwest Coast Indian cultures); (2) the relatively complete Catholicization of the tribes within a very short period of time, under the aegis and control of Bishop Durieu's