If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 407

Bridal party with bride in the boat, 1914

I found these two postcards in a shop in Ketchikan, Alaska.  They both have vintage photographs by Edward S. Curtis dated 1914 and show wedding parties.  The card above shows a bridal party approaching the groom’s village.  “The bride brings with her a wealth of privileges in the form of songs, dances and economic considerations.  Marriages between tribes along the coast fostered important cultural, ceconomic and military alliances.”  [From the information blub found on the card reverse.]  Distributed by Native Elements and printed in Canada. 

 Bridal party with groom in boat, 1914

Children took the family clan from their mother and did not marry within the clan.  For instance, a member of the Raven clan could marry someone from the Eagle clan but not another Raven.

The second card shows a 60-foot ceremonial Kwaginlth canoe carrying the groom and his family toward the beach to meet the bride and her family.  The groom is standing at the rear of the canoe.  On the side of the canoe is carved a sea eagle called Nax Wax daxw.  The figure standing at the bow of the canoe is called Kolus.  This card is also a Native Elements card printed in Canada.

Traveling by canoe was the main mode of transportation along the coast.  These dugout cedar canoes had carved designs and were used by individuals, families, and communities.  Like the totem poles, a master carver might be assisted by several other people to make such a vessel.  The size varied depending on if the voyage was going to be a short trip or a longer ocean-going venture.  Smaller canoes were used for inter-village travel.  Some of the boats had furs inside as protection from the cold winters. 

There were several groups of people who lived along the northern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada and southeastern Alaska in or near places like Ketchikan who spoke variations of the same language.  These people were known by the language and called Kawkiutl, Kwakwaka’wakw or something similar.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawkwaka’wakw