Potlatch Research Paper

Words: 344
Pages: 2

Potlatches are ceremonies held by First Nations to mark a special occasion like the welcoming of a new chief or a marriage. Remarkably, the speeches, feasting and dancing would continue on for days and people who were invited to view these important cultural and spiritual events would receive gifts (). The ceremonies were practiced by many Aboriginal groups and therefore the potlatches were at the heart of Aboriginal governance and social structure ().

Nevertheless, the federal government of Canada and the missionaries considered the potlatch ceremonies as absurd, extravagant and barriers to assimilation (). Therefore in 1844, the Canadian government revised the Indian Act to outlaw the ban of potlatches festivals; the heart and soul of the