Rifles, Blankets, and Beads: Identity, History, and the Northern Athapaskan Potlatch (Volume 216)

by William E. Simeone

Whoever heard of a party at which the hosts lavishly give away presents, refusing to accept any gifts in return, keeping little for themselves? This is the custom of the Northern Athapaskan potlatch, a tradition that has long fascinated Americans. In Rifles, Blankets, and Beads, William E. Simeone explores the potlatch and its role in balancing competition and cooperation among the Tanacross people, a Northern Athapaskan culture. According to Simeone, the potlatch tradition helps the Tanacross people uphold standards of acceptable behavior through curbing competitiveness and stressing the ideals of cooperation. Simeone also examines Northern Athapaskan leadership practices, the introduction of trade goods into Athapaskan culture, and the complexities of cultural identity for the Tanacross.

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Author William E. Simeone (Bill) has lived in Alaska for almost 50 years. During that time, he has worked as a VISTA Volunteer in the Yup’ik community of St. Michael, a lay worker for the Episcopal Church in the Athabascan community of Tanacross, a construction worker on the Trans Alaska Pipeline, and a paralegal for Alaska Legal Services.

After receiving his Ph.D. in anthropology from McMaster University, he worked as a consulting anthropologist and from 1995 to 2010 as subsistence resource specialist and regional supervisor for the Division of Subsistence, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Bill has worked with Ahtna for more than 20 years on fish and game issues and documenting many facets of Ahtna culture and history. Most recently he co-authored an article on the Sub-Arctic for volume one of The Handbook of American Indians, published by the Smithsonian Institute.

Reviews

[Clarissa Panningona]

So far so good - but the thing is that native americans/alaskans have always met up and shared with feasting while trading and intermarrying.