INDIAN COSTUMES KRIEGER 637 



Dress of ihe PacifiG Northwest coast tribes. — The area north of 

 California lying between the Pacific coast and the Cascade Moun- 

 tains was formerly inhabited by Indian tribes possessing many simi- 

 lar culture traits centering around the fishing industry. Quite aside 

 from any influence exerted by other tribes upon the natives of south- 

 east Alaska and the Puget Sound area together with the outlying 

 islands of British Columbia, there remains the tremendous effect of 

 environment upon their daily life. The extremely moist climate of 

 the so-called Alaskan panhandle is well known. At Ketchikan, near 

 the southern boundary of Alaska, the average number of days during 

 the year with an appreciable amount of rainfall reaches a total of 

 235. The warm northwest Pacific current reaches the shores of 

 southeast Alaska, moderating the climate far above that of the main- 

 land east of the costal mountain ranges. 



Two of the most characteristic elements in the dress of the Indians 

 of the Pacific Northwest coast — the use of waterproof clothing and 

 the practice of going barefooted — are directly connected with the 

 peculiar climate under which they live. Waterproof mats of 

 plaited cedar bark, and a raincoat of grass with the shaggy unfinished 

 elements on the outside, and w^ith an opening cut out of the center 

 like a poncho for the head, were worn by men and women. As moc- 

 casins of skin or tanned leather are of little use in such a continually 

 moist environment all footgear was dispensed with except in winter, 

 and by the more northern Tlingit tribes. A basketry hat (pi. 8) was 

 worn to shield the wearer against the rain. With the exception of 

 the basket hat of the Ute, Californian, and other Pacific coast tribes, 

 and the hood as worn by the tribes of the sub-Arctic, no other 

 tribes on the American continent employed hats or a head covering 

 of any description except ceremonially and for decorative purposes. 



The tribes represented by the fabrics shown (pis. 7, 8) include the 

 Tlingit and Haida of southeastern Alaska and many of the related 

 tribes of British Columbia. From this exhibit, specimens in rigid 

 materials, such as basketry, are omitted, and the collection is devoted 

 entirely to soft and flexible objects. The possession of the Rocky 

 Mountain goat for animal staples and of the wild hemp for vegetable 

 staples enabled these tribes to produce most satisfactory results. 

 The dress of the North Pacific tribes was made of skin, woven bark, 

 native woolen textiles, and traders' goods, ornamented with beaks 

 of birds, hoofs, fur, and claws of animals, or buttons and beads pro- 

 cured from the white man. The ordinary costume consists of a 

 blanket or bark-mat mantle, belt, breechcloth, leggings, and mocca- 

 sins. The ceremonial costume was varied, but the parts usually con- 

 sisted of headdress mask, neck, and breast ornaments, skirts with 

 rattles, and leggings. (PL 8.) 



