Title: Pacific Coast Culture | World Civilization
Headings: Pacific Coast Culture
Pacific Coast Culture
Learning Objective
Key Points
Terms
animism
potlatch
permaculture
Arts and Crafts
Religious and Social Ceremonies
Sources

Content: Art provided indigenous people with a tie to the land and was a constant reminder of their birth places, lineages, and nations. One example of this is the use of symbols on totem poles and plank houses of the Pacific Northwest coast. Pacific Coast Art. Tribal art included plank houses and totem poles that served as constant reminders of indigenous peoples’ birth places, lineages, and nations. Religious and Social Ceremonies
Other cultural elements that became established were the religious and social ceremonies of the Pacific Northwest nations. Although various tribes might have had their own different mythologies and rituals, “animism” is said to describe the most common, foundational thread of indigenous peoples’ spiritual or supernatural perspectives in this region. Spiritualism, the supernatural, and the importance of the environment played such integral roles in day-to-day life. Therefore, it was not unusual for worldly goods to be adorned with symbols, crests, and totems that represented some important figure (s) from both the seen and unseen worlds. Many of these religious or spiritual symbols would be present during social ceremonies as well. The potlatch, a gift-giving feast, was perhaps one of the most significant social experiences that occurred within Pacific Northwest groups.