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

Content: House fronts were commonly painted, as were the house posts (totem poles), which were carved with the family crest. If an individual built a longhouse for his family, the he lived there with his wife and children, and then their children. When the children got older, they were assigned (by the head of the family) a new space inside the longhouse. On the other hand, if the village built the longhouse together, then it would be the Chief's responsibility to assign living spaces to each family. When the owner of a longhouse died, the family gave the longhouse away or burnt it to the ground. It was believed that if the family stayed after the death, then the spirit of the dead person would worry too much about the family. Massett (Haida) village

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Food / Hunting / Tools
Transportation / Migration
Religion / Ceremonies / Art / Clothing
Family / Social Structure / Leadership
Tribal Relations / War
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