Title: The Northwest Coastal People - Environment / Housing
Headings: 

Content: Yakoun Lake, Haida Gwaii, Queen Charlotte Islands
Vancouver Island Coastline
Bella Coola, BC
Cedar tree in BC forest
Cedar Trees
The Northwest Coastal People used cedar trees to make many things, including: houses
baskets
boxes
blankets
canoes
masks
Chilkat Blanket
Kwakwakw'wakw House
Coast Salish Mask
Haida Canoe

Settlements and Housing
Due to the fact that the people of the Northwest Coast had access to food year-round, they were able to live sedentary lives in permanent settlements. Longhouses at Ksan Village
Kwakwakw'wakw painted longhouse and totem pole
Kwakwakw'wakw house front
Longhouse frame (cedar logs)
Housing - the 'Big House'
They lived in longhouses or 'Big houses' constructed out of cedar planks. Each longhouse was 50-150 feet long and 20-60 feet wide, and housed several families. Model of Haida house
Constructing the House
Since it rained a lot along the coast, the trees grew very thick and tall. The huge red cedars were especially important to the people because they could make large houses with them. They cut the trees with stone axes, and floated them to their villages. First, a frame was built out of cedar logs. Then, cedar planks were attached to the logs. It was important to overlap the planks to keep the rain out.