This geocache is part of the Gold Country GeoTour – The Prequel: Be A Guest. This GeoTour focuses on a step back in time to learn about before the Gold Rush ensued: languages of the region’s culturally diverse families, handed down traditions such as recipes, flora and fauna, historic sites of significance, and points of interest. These stories will help preserve the oral languages and traditions of the region as well as assist in educating visitors and locals alike to the cultural diversity and environmental sensitivity of the region.
Sharing the Wealth
Today traditional Indigenous values emphasize on sharing, retaining, and returning to cultural practices and language. From time immemorial traditional Indigenous cultures value community, sharing, retaining; having a moderate standard of living which allowed a degree of equality within the community; having enough to get by was ideal, and allowed excess resources to be shared.
Sharing among people often took place at Potlatch ceremonies. They were important culturally, spiritually, and also for the governing structure of the community to Indigenous people of the Northwest Coast and parts of inland British Columbia. Primarily used to redistribute and share wealth, Potlatches were also used to bestow status and rank for individuals, groups, and clans, and they were also used to establish claims and rights to hunting and fishing territories.
The Potlatch ceremony was held for important social events, transferring of rights and chieftainships, births, marriages, naming of children, coming of age for young people and funerals, and could last several days. The people would feast, dance, and sing during this time. At the Potlatch valuable items such as blankets, clothing, food, canoes, and tools would be redistributed from high-ranking individuals as gifts that were bestowed on the invited guests by the host. Above the economic benefits of redistributing wealth, a potlach also ensured community solidarity and maintained hierarchical relations within the community and territories. Potlatches were traditionally used to mark important milestones, occasions, and customs, and also as a way of celebrating life.
In 1884 the federal government of Canada banned potlatches under Section 141 of the Indian Act. This ban lasted from 1884-1951 and included not only potlatches but also other ceremonies such as the sun dance and sweat lodges. Potlatch ceremonies were of the most culturally important ceremonies for Indigenous people. Colonists and missionaries did not understand the sharing of wealth and food and considered them excessive and wasteful but knew how important they were to sustain Indigenous culture. As long as the potlatch existed, Indigenous people would continue their economic system of redistribution of wealth, food, and oral traditions, and not ‘assimilate’ to colonial ways.
Judge Alfred Scow describes some of the impacts of the Potlatch Law in a web article named the Indian Act located on the Indigenous Foundations Art website at UBC. Here he states: “This provision of the Indian Act was in place for close to 75 years and what that did was it prevented the passing down of our oral history. It prevented the passing down of our values. It meant an interruption of the respected forms of government that we used to have, and we did have forms of government be they oral and not in writing before any of the Europeans came to this country. We had a system that worked for us. We respected each other. We had ways of dealing with disputes.” - Judge Alfred Scow
Indigenous author and activist from Big River Saskatchewan, Sylvia McAdam, stated that “the 1885 to 1951 ban led to a patriarchal culture where women are excluded from leadership.” She went on to say the potlatch ban effects are still lingering and are seen in the exclusion of many Indigenous women from leadership positions in communities. "Prior to treaty, women were the ones that held the ceremonies. They were the doctors and the healers. All of that has been flipped now."
Philip Brass is a traditional knowledge keeper from Peepeekisis First Nation in Saskatchewan. “The men, back at that time during the ban, would go out into the bush under the excuse (to the “Indian Agent”) that they’ve gone hunting, and women would have to stay home,” leading to ceremonies to be practiced with only men in attendance Brass said in an interview with Lenard Monkman, an associate producer with CBC Indigenous. The 1884 legislation made it a criminal offence for anyone to participate in the potlatch.
Indigenous worldviews focus on a nonmaterial vision of the world, emphasizing on connections to family, language, identity, the environment, and a general sense of belonging. Prior to colonialism this was practiced through equality and sharing in community. By balancing the ‘economy’ everyone would have a moderate standard of living with no one living to extravagance or excess, and no one “not having”. These values focused on community rather than individuals, unlike mainstream society’s materialistic worldviews, they ensured equal access to resources for the community members, and the sharing of food and wealth among each other.
“Indigenous wealth is about being healthy and living in abundance. Most Indigenous languages do not have a word for “wealth.” They have words that express living reciprocally, focusing on health, and being a good relative. Indigenous wealth is shared. Wealth is traditional languages, food sovereignty, and community wellness; an absence of worry and stress, of being able to provide for others. When we have access to shared wealth, we can restore the health of our communities and nations.”-Sharing Through Story
The book Secwépemc People, Land and Laws written by Marianne Ignace and Ronald E. Ignace explains many facets of indigenous culture, including sharing. The Secwépemc people were true stewards of the land, plants, and the animals. Part of their spiritual beliefs and culture was their respectful management of resources. They shared everything, not only their stories, food, clothing, and shelter but they shared a wealth of culture and community.
At the core of the Secwépemc society, was the extended family, which functioned as an inclusive group. The key aspect of family life was sharing and helping one another. Many Indigenous cultures define poverty with “have” or “not have” or to “live in” a state of “not having.” It was not in Indigenous culture to be poor - everyone looked after everyone in a community or family group.
Indigenous Words
Northern St̓át̓imcets: pán̓tsmin (to divide food with somebody); nmíml̓en (share or divide equally among other people); pan̓ts (have a meal with others); nmímel̓cit (to share, divide something among people); um̓ná7ilh (contribute gifts (to), share food for gathering, to contribute gifts to a potlatch); xlítcal (feast, potlatch (to give a), ceremonial feast where the host gives gifts and gain status); um̓náy̓́lh OR um̓ná7ilh (contribute gifts (to), to give gifts for ceremony, gathering, to contribute gifts to a potlatch)
Líl̕wat: pan̓tss (to share a meal with someone); nmíml̓em (to divide things); ka-séq-a (split)
Secwépemc: metwécw (to share food with community members); cpíla (share food after a hunt); kllew̓smentwécwmens (to divide equally)
Secwepemctsin (Eastern): kllew̓se (divide, split up)
Tsilhqot’in: beghany (part of it)
Researched and wrote by Lana Rae Brooks
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/potlatch
https://fnigc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FNIGC-Research-Series-Perspectives-on-Poverty_21.04.28.pdf
accessed Aug 23, 2022
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/historical-ban-spirituality-felt-indigenous-women-today-1.4036528
http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/the_indian_act/
https://nativegov.org/resources/indigenous-wealth-guide/#:~:text=Indigenous%20wealth%20is%20shared%3A%20when,system%20that%20harms%20BIPOC%20communities.
https://empoweringthespirit.ca/sharing-through-story/
https://www.firstvoices.com/explore/FV/sections/Data