The Northwest Natives By Maya Levine Rachel Harris Netanya Lebach Kayla Montero

Food  Native Americans that lived in the Northwest of the country used resources, like cedar bark and salmon. Speaking of cedar bark, the Northwest Indians had lots of cedar bark which they used for practically everything.

Food  The woman would cook the food in bent boxes which were made from cedar bark. The boxes had a coating that made the wood durable when it was being used with fire.

Food  One thing they did was cooking. Usually the men caught fish or any other animal, and the woman cooked it. Native American woman who lived in the Northwest made smoked salmon, seal, sea lions, herring, halibut, cod, flounder and whale.

Clothing  Native Americans would do indoor activities if it was really cold out--like making clothing. The materials they used to make clothing were cedar bark which was peeled, separated and softened. Otter fur, deerskin, leather and woolly dog hair were also used.

Family life  The Northwest native women and men lived differently, and had different jobs.

Men’s Roles  For the men to catch things they would make weapons which they also used for war, but not necessarily the same kind. Men would go to war, men would hunt, and also plant herbs, to help sicknesses.

Women’s Roles  A woman’s role would be cleaning, picking berries, making clothing, making food, and making shoes. Men and women would make their houses together.

HOMES AND SHELTER The way people made their homes was they would take plants of cedar bark and four corner posts to hold up the house. To make the planks they would pound sharp pieces of wood in with a hammer. This tool was called a maul.

MORE HOMES AND SHELTER  The roof was also made of cedar planks with rocks. In the houses there would be one very large room.

TOOLS  They used shields, arrows and spears. They sharpened rocks and used animal muscle to help make some of the tools. They also used the poison from some of the plants by mixing together some of the herbs.

Language  The languages people spoke were Athapascan, Wakashan, and others. Some of the tribes were the Bella Coola, Chinook, Aaida, Klikitat, Kusakiutl, Nookta, Quileute, Quinalt, Tlingit, and Tsimshian.

Beliefs/Ceremonies  Some of the things they believed in were souls, lost souls, ghosts, great spirit, and shamans. Soul catchers were made to look like tubes. Raising a totem pole was accompanied by a potlatch. Potlatches were celebrated during the marriage of a chief.