Feasting With Cannibals: An Essay on Kwakiutl Cosmology [Course Book ed.] 9781400857326

Table of contents :
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
One Metaphors of Structure, Process, and Identity
Two Meals and the Moral Basis of Social Action
Three Animals as Metaphors of Morality
Four Myth, Metaphor, and the Ritual Process
Appendix One The First Salmon Rites
Appendix Two Index to Boas's Kwakiutl Texts
References
Index

Citation preview

FEASTING WITH CANNIBALS

Feasting with Cannibals An Essay on Kwakiutl Cosmology STANLEY WALENS

Princeton University Press

Copyright © 1981 by Princeton University Press Published by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Guildford, Surrey All Rights Reserved, Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data will be found on the last printed page of this book Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation This book has been composed in Linotron Times Roman Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are chosen for strength and durability Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey Designed by Laury A. Egan

For Stefani and the three chiefs lo la vidi, al suo sorriso santillar mi parve il sole

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ix xi 3

One

Metaphors of Structure, Process, and Identity

21

Two

Meals and the Moral Basis of Social Action

67

Three

Animals as Metaphors of Morality

97

Four

Myth, Metaphor, and the Ritual Process

124

Appendix One

The First Salmon Rites

165

Appendix Two

Index to Boas's Kwakiutl Texts

170

References Index

173 189

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coppers, 17, 60, 83n, 132, 146, 148-49 Coyote, 97 crests, 14, 100-101, 103-105, 142 curing and curing ceremonies, see shamans and shamanism Curtis, Edward S.. 156-57 dance societies, 43-44, 139, 159. See also specific societies death and funerary practices, 8, 17, 59-60, 62, 83n, 84, 86, 107, 110-11, 113, 115, 130-31, 132, 136. See also reincarnation decapitation, 84 Deer, 126, 134, 135 dispute settlement, 35-37, 38-39 division of labor, 74, 78-80, 81-85 dogfish and sharks, 121 dogs, 109-110 drinking of water, 91-92, 126, 134-35 Drucker, Philip and Robert Heizer, 146 drums, 53-54

eagle down. 138, 155, 157 eagles, 106-108, 118 Eagles, 107-108 ecstasy, 40-41 etiquette, 13-14, 87-88, 91, 134-35 feast (house) dishes, 56-58 feasts, 13, 56, 79, 82, 87, 92, 139, 160 See also meals feces, 62-63 fire, smoke, and burning, 8, 9-10, 11, 16, 17, 60, 146, 155, 156, 157, 161, 162 fish, 118-22. See also specific species food-collection, 13, 48, 49-50, 55, 67, 6985, 165-69 food-distribution, 37-38, 56, 79-80, 85, 86-87, 165-69. See also reciprocity Fort Rupert, 105 Freud, Sigmund, 125 frogs, 14, 15, 117, 130. See also reptiles and amphibians funerals, see death and funerary practices

Index gambling, 26 Ghost Dancer, 141-42 Goldman, Irving, 5, 24 hagfish, 121-22 hai' alikima, 155 hamatsa, 15-16, 28, 34-35, 43, 50, 68, 83n, 84, 109, 132, 138-48, 155-63 hamshamtses, 155 Hand Game, 26 hemlock, 142, 143, 144, 145, 155. See also trees Heron, 125, 127-30 herons, 99, 130 hierarchy, 30, 68-69, 75, 131. See also superordinate/subordinate dyad; human/ spirit relationships; chiefs hohok, 12, 14, 101, 114 house posts, 57, 64, 103, 127 houses, 10, 51-55, 64, 103, 133, 157 human/spirit relationships, 16-17, 22-45, 78-79, 95n, 101-103, 151-54 hunger, 6, 12, 13, 15-16, 23, 34, 43, 98101, 109-110, 123, 124-25, 127, 132, 137-38, 139-40, 162 Hunt, George, 7-9 hunting and hunters, 30, 132, 144 identity, 9-10, 43, 47-49, 61, 63, 65-66, 103, 131, 133, 150-53. See also names insects, 117-18, 130 insults, 64-65, 94-95 fa" nqalalala, 155 Kula, 147 ladders, 52, 53, 142 lamprey, 121-22 magic, see causality mallard ducks, 126, 136 Man Eater, 28, 35, 43, 68, 70, 118n, 140, 147, 155-56, 160, 162 marriage, 13, 31, 148 masks, 16, 59, 119, 131, 134 mats, 50-51, 90, 156, 159 meals, 6, 13-14, 27, 35, 50-51, 68-69, 8696, 102, 118n, 161, 165-69. See also feasts megalomania, 25, 31 menstrual blood, 15, 16, 71, 83n, 123, 155, 158, 162

metaphorization, 5-7, 9-11, 12-13, 18-19, 45, 47, 67-69, 95-96, 100, 123 mice, 113n, 114n mink, 115-16 mistakes during rituals, 24-25, 41, 160 morality, 6-7, 11, 12, 14, 20, 69, 70, 12425, 129, 132, 135-36, 137-38, 162-63 mosquitos, 118, 118n Mouth of Heaven, 57, 138 myths, 6-7, 14, 26-27, 33, 34, 42-43, 63, 88, 97-98, 101, 102, 119n, 124-37 names, 17, 32, 43, 56, 63-67, 131, 139 nests, 107, 115 noumenon, 27-28. See also sacredness numaym, 23, 38-39, 47-49, 54-55, 75-76, 102-103 numaym head, see chief Only-one, 125, 127, 133-34, 137, 159 orality, 6-7, 12-13, 14, 16-18, 19-20, 3435, 45, 61-62, 98-99, 100, 123, 145 See also assimilation, hunger, metaphor­ ization Otter, 126, 135 oulachen oil, 90, 93 owls, 112-15 owl-souls (owl-masks), 11, 112-13, 150, 152 See also soul, spirit-doubles ownership, 13, 55, 57-58, 71, 73-76, 81, 82-86. See also privileges particularism in Kwakiutl epistemology, 11, 12, 25-26, 30 play potlatch, 87-88 potlatch, 5, 17, 32, 33, 39, 41, 57, 65, 87, 107, 151, 154 potlatch hat, 142-43 power, see causality prayers, 22, 26, 27, 29, 32, 165-69 pregnancy and childbirth, 8, 11, 15, 29, 104, 117, 144-45, 157, 158, 161-62 privileges, 17, 56, 58, 71 property distribution, 145, 148, 151-54, 160 See also, ownership; wealth Q.'aneqelaku, see Transformer quartz crystal, 109, 138 que'qutsa, 143 Raccoon, 126, 134, 135 rank, see hierarchy

Index Raven of Man Eater. 155-56 ravens, 83n, 98, 99, 110-12 recipes, 27, 89 See also meals, food-distribution reciprocity. 9, 13, 15, 16-17, 30-31, 76n, 102-103, 146 red (color), 30, 83n, 105, 113, 161 red tide. 123 reincarnation, 17, 24, 57, 60, 64, 70, 7273, 76n, 79, 80, 107, 108, 134-35, 137. 154. See also death and funerary prac­ tices reptiles and amphibians, 14, 58, 62, 99, 116-17. See also frogs, snakes ritual (process), 6-7, 24, 26, 29, 31, 35, 40, 41, 45, 71-72, 83n, 95-96, 130-32, 137-38, 162-63 rivalry, 31, 39, 94, 95n rivers, 53, 127, 128-29, 136-37 sacredness, 22, 26-27, 32, 40-42, 88, 95 sacred room and screen, 50, 51, 145, 146. 147-48, 156, 157, 161 sacrifice, 61, 77, 144, 159 salmon, 59, 101, 104, 105-106, 140-41, 165-69 Salmon Dancer, 140-41 sculpin, 120-21 sea mammals, 122 Seal Society, 98, 143 self-denial, 14, 36-38, 69, 70. See also morality settee, 52 shamans and shamanism, 11, 14, 23, 2425, 26, 28, 29-30, 31, 34, 84, 122n, 136 sisiutl, 101, 125, 126, 131-32 Skedans, 142 smoke, see fire, smoke, and burning snakes, 14, 121, 131. See also reptiles and amphibians socialization, 15, 35-37, 38, 157-58 songs, 14, 16, 32, 87, 93, 140, 143, 15859, 160 souls, 17, 57, 60, 61, 83n, 106. 158-59. See also identity, owl-souls space, 10, 46, 47, 50-55, 58, 133

spirit-doubles, 112-114. See also owl-souls Strathern, Andrew, 39 succession, 129, 130 See also reincarna­ tion summer season, 26, 44, 64 sumptuary rights, 92-94 sun, 22-23 superordinate/subordinate dyad, 25-26, 2931, 66, 80, 129, 133-34 sympathetic magic, see causality Thunderbird, 12, 58, 59, 101. 108, 113. 131 time, 22, 46, 53, 127. 128-29, 136-37. 138-39 totem, see crests totem poles, 103, 104-105, 108, 142 to'xuit (Toogwid), 40, 155 transformation, 8, 17, 18, 59-60, 62-63. 65-66, 79, 131, 146-47 Transformer, 43, 125-38, 159-60 trees, 34, 60, 116-17. See also cedar tree, hemlock tsonoqua, 139 twins, 104 universe, structure of, 46, 52-56, 58-61, 118-19, 124, 127-29, 133, 142 villages, 51-55, 105 vomit and regurgitation, 15, 17, 62-63, 77, 109, 114, 123, 126, 135, 146-48, 158 warfare, 31, 39, 84, 148 wealth, 10, 17, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 51, 94. 132, 145-46, 151, 157 Wilson, Monica, 86 winter ceremonials, 15-16, 26, 32. 39, 50, 57, 61, 70, 84, 119, 138-63 winter season, 26, 32, 44, 64, 103 wolves, 98, 109-110 wood, 10, 30, 51, 54, 57 See also trees Woodpecker, 125, 127-30 woodpeckers, 99, 130 worldview, Western approaches to Kwakiutl, 3-5

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Walens, Stanley. 1948Feasting with cannibals Bibliography Includes index I 2.

Kwakiutl Indians—Religion and mythology Indians of North America—Northwest coast of

North America—Religion and mythology Indians—Rites and ceremonies

4

3

Kwakiutl

Indians of

North America—Northwest coast of North America— Rites and ceremonies. E99K9W34

299'.72

ISBN 0-691 -09392-X

I

Title 81-47161 AACR2