Title: NORTHWEST COAST
Headings: 
NORTHWEST COAST
Northwest Coast Art
Cooking and Potlatches
Clothing of the Pacific Northwest Coast Indians
Northwest Coast Tribes / Pacific Coast Tribes
Pacific Northwest and Plateau Indian Wars
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Content: NORTHWEST COAST

NORTHWEST COAST
Northwest Coast Indians / Pacific Northwest Coast Indians
The term Northwest Coast Tribes or North West Coast is used in anthropology, primarily in the American context, is used to refer to the groups of Indigenous people residing along the West coast of Canada and the United States. The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are composed of many nations and tribal affiliations, each with distinctive cultural and political identities, but they share certain beliefs, traditions and practices, such as the centrality of salmon as a resource and spiritual symbol. Location: Oregon | Washington | Alaska | Northern California | British Columbia
There are wide variations of climate and topography along the Pacific Ocean, including Tundra, Mountains and Temporate Rain Forests. The area generally has cool and wet summers and mild winters. Ceremonial Masks: The people of the Northwest Coast, particularly those in the Northern and Central portions of this culture area, are well known for their ceremonial masks. Masks are made from wood, primarily cedar and occasionally maple, which is then painted with three primary colors: black or blue, red, and white. These masks are both art objects and objects with spiritual significance.