See Also: Kwakiutl(dictionary)
Kwakiutl(encyclopedia)

Kwakiutl (sh)




Northwest Coast Indian people who live along the shores of Vancouver Island, B.C., Can.

, and the mainland opposite. They speak Kwakwala, a Wakashan language, and call themselves Kwakwaka'wakw, meaning "Those Who Speak Kwakwala." Traditionally, the Kwakiutl subsisted mainly by fishing. They had a technology based largely on woodworking. Their society was stratified by rank, determined primarily by inheritance. The potlatch was elaborately developed and was often combined with dances and songs dramatizing ancestral experiences with supernatural beings. They continue to be known for their highly stylized art, which includes totem poles and striking masks. The Kwakiutl numbered about 3,000 in the 2001 Canadian census.