Between 1884 and 1951, it was a crime in Canada (and the US) for First Nations to potlatch; dancing, singing, feasting, and gift-giving — in ceremonies comprising the system of redistributing wealth among the coastal aboriginal peoples — was punishable by two to six months in jail. Today, the indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest have rebounded from this missionary-inspired punishment, and taken potlatch to a new level. Lucky for us, the Native tradition of giving is alive and well.
The library is dedicated to the memory of Secwepemc Chief George Manuel (1921-1989), to the nations of the Fourth World and to the elders and generations to come.
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