Skokomish potlatch celebrations

The following story is adapted from "A Brief Historical Sketch of Shelton, Washington" written by Grant Angle in 1940, and Jean Bearden's "History of Hoodsport," first published in 1987.

In 1886, the Rev. Myron Eels, writing about his 10 years of missionary work with the Skokomish Indians, had this to say about the Indian potlatch: "The potlatch is the greatest festival the Indian has. 'Potlatch' is a Chinook word meaning 'to give.' The central idea of it is a distribution of gifts by a few persons to the many present whom they have invited. It is generally intertribal, from 400 to 2,000 people being present. From one to 10 thousand dollars in money, blankets, guns, canoes, cloth and the like are given away. Three potlatches have been held in Skokomish within 15 years and during the same time, as far as I know, the tribe has been invited to nine others."

The Skokomish tribal meeting place - a 40-by-200-foot potlatch house - was at "Eneti," on the Skokomish Indian reservation on Hood Canal. Here, members of the Skokomish Tribe gathered for their potlatches. More prominent and affluent tribal members gave away their wealth and possessions consisting of horses, blankets and silver dollars and then set forth from the potlatch to begin anew. Grant Angle called this "the aboriginal idea of true socialism, or sharing the wealth."

Jean Bearden wrote about several Skokomish potlatches. The first was associated with a funeral. When Jan Henry of the Skokomish Tribe died in the summer of 1900, most of her friends and relatives were working in the Puyallup hop fields, so she was only slightly buried until they could be with her. When they returned, she was taken up and buried properly, and a potlatch was held. The men who assisted in the burial were given five horses. Her male relatives gave away four cows, two wagons, two guns and a watch. Clothes and trinkets were put in the grave or given to the women in attendance. Everyone present received a dollar or 50 cents. Six relatives presented the gifts and nearly all the rest of the tribe was there to receive them.

Another Skokomish potlatch took place in 1903. When Jessie Charlie died and was buried, his father, Tenas Charlie, had a feast after the funeral and gave everyone there 50 cents or a dollar. He didn't have enough money to pay for this, so he had borrowed from his friends, intending to repay them as soon as possible. When he had enough money to pay the debt, he invited all the Indians on the reservation to his house. One hundred and twenty-five people came. The first event was the wedding of Kimball Sherwood and Sarah Curly. This was followed by a large feast, and after everyone had finished eating, Tenas Charlie returned $60 to those he had borrowed from and gave $1 to all the rest. Mrs. Lew Jay gave $25 more, and Mrs. Tenas Charlie gave each woman there a 6-yard piece of calico to finish the festive occasion.

In 1904, John Pulsifer, "who had more money than he could use," had a potlatch at the home of his brother, Thomas, on the reservation, to distribute his wealth among members of his tribe. The potlatch was prepared to seat 175 people, all set under an awning to ward off the sun. Indians came from all over the state; some stayed with friends or relatives and 20 tents were pitched for those without accommodations. Mowitch Man gave away what money he had, and some of his possessions, in memory of his late wife. Mrs. George Henry and her daughter, Mrs. Charles Cush, gave gifts in memory of a nephew who had died a few years previously. Thomas Pulsifer made a potlatch of $400.

As time passed, so, too, did the potlatch. By 1917, the older guests at a feast that Mary Adams prepared to celebrate the marriage of her son, Dick, "talked about the good old potlatch days and mourned their passing." But there was to be at least one more traditional potlatch, which, if it was indeed the last, was especially fitting.

In April 1928, following the burial of Mrs. Sarah Sherwood in the old reservation cemetery, mourners were invited to the home of Charles Miller, where a potlatch feast was served. veryone present received something as a reminder of the deceased woman - three trunks of goods, as well as cattle and cash, were among the items given to guests. It was Sarah Curley Sherwood whose wedding had been celebrated at Tenas Charlie's potlatch in 1903.

■ Jan Parker is a researcher for the Mason County Historical Museum. She can be reached at [email protected]. Membership in the Mason County Historical Society is $25 per year. For a limited time, new members will receive a free copy of the book "Shelton, the First Century Plus Ten."