Makah Indians
The Makah Indians were a predominantly fishing society. This was quite obvious because most of their artifacts were oriented toward the sea and the land around. Various artifacts were bordered with carving of fish or whale. A few were made from whalebone, and others made from different kind of wood and fiber. Although anyone can see that the Makahs had a lot of pride in presenting their relationship with the ocean, it was not their only means of subsistence. Numerous artifacts such as their canoe were made out of wood, which suggests that the forest they lived in or around were heavily depended upon. They are not limited to the natural resources of the rivers, lakes, tidelands, and ocean areas. While the water provided a main source for food and transportation, Makah forests provide many types of wood for carvers, many species of land animals for hunters, and a wide variety of plants that can be used for food, medicine, or raw materials. Most of the artifacts recovered were from the early nineteenth century, which suggests the Makahs had lived and existed well beyond that era. Their subsistence technologies presented in the museum revolved around the sea. Especially in a case that holds exclusively fishing supplies su
Food, personal wealth, and family status all came together during these celebrations with large feasts and huge attendance. The tradition of whaling was a source of great pride among the Makah. One of the artifacts had metal in it, suggesting that a trade took place to obtain the harder material. A very good case in point was their totem pole. This is because the likelihood of the Makah exhausting their food resources is very improbable. Although the practice of whale hunting had been vanished, yet they never forget the great culture and tradition that brought the tribe to where it is today. It looked like a modern day iron, except it was made out of whalebone, steel, and fiber cord. Tribe members other than hunters can develop individual skills and craftsmanship to help them better their shelter, weaponry, art, and the like. The hooks were especially made for bottom fish. Another artifact had some design with coloration on it, and the description under it stated that some of the dye came from trade. This would also imply that social inequality would exist since some members would have higher nobility because of their experience in hunting or their particular skills. The Makahs do rely on different subsistence technologies. Another advantage was the division of labor. The first advantage was the opportunity for the development of a simple economy. Juxtaposed to the canoes were few paddles of various designs.
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Acceptance Essays
