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Natives of Sea and Cedar: Part Two

© Mary M. Alward

Dwellings:

Natives of the northwest coast could not live in teepees because of the wet climate. Heavy rain would have destroyed such homes. Instead, natives along the coast made their homes of cedar.

The house was supported by four corner posts that were large trunks of trees set deeply into the ground. Many men pulled the corner posts into position with heavy ropes. Walls were made of cedar planks. These were made by pounding wedges into a cedar log with a stone hammer called a "maul." The pounding continued until the log split.

The roofs of the homes were made of planks and cedar bark. These overlapped one another and were held down by large stones. Wall structure and roof lines varied with the area. At times, walls were lashed together so they could be taken down and moved to fishing camps.

The cedar homes of the northwest coast natives had only one small opening, which was the entrance. Some had carved poles at the front, which were called, "frontal poles." A hole would be made in the center of the pole to allow access into the house.

Inside, each family had separate living quarters. Bull rush or cedar mats were woven to make partitions. Each partition opened to the center of the house. Here, fires burned continually to provide both light and a cooking fire. Smoke escaped through an opening in the roof.

Between fourty to sixty people resided in one house, depending on its size. Many related families lived together under one roof, though each family lived separately and was responsible for its own clothing, baskets and meals. Families set up living quarters in their favorite fishing and berry spots during the summer months.

Food:

The Pacific Ocean was the grocery store for natives of the northwest coast. It also acted as their roads. Salmon was a staple food and great numbers of fish were caught at the mouths of the streams during the salmon run. Since the natives had no way of freezing the fish, salmon was smoked by hanging it over fires. This preserved the food and prevented it from rotting.

Food was prepared by boiling it in wooden "bent boxes." This was done by filling the box with water and adding rocks that had been heated in the fire. Food was also roasted over open fires, or cooked in a pit that had been dug in the ground. If the natives wanted to steam their food, they sprinkled water on hot rocks.

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