12 JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS PSYCHOLOGY 



several families. In a space four feet wide lived a man with 

 two wives and seven children. 



Each family maintains its own household, but &quot;among the 

 heads of the several families one was generally found who was 

 held in higher esteem than the rest by all the housemates.&quot; 

 (53: 26.) This man acts as a kind of head of the house- 

 community. &quot;His position rests mostly on a tacit recognition 

 of his authority.&quot; (30: 86.) He is generally the oldest man, 

 if this particular person is or has been a good hunter or has 

 sons who are good hunters. He is regarded as the host when 

 visitors come to the house; he determines the dividing and 

 ordering of the house. He enjoins when they are to move into 

 the house in the autumn, &quot;for all the families must move in 

 simultaneously, in order to warm up the house.&quot; (30: 86.) 

 In the summer, when the Eskimo live in tents, the families have 

 separate quarters. (See also 16. 1: 165; 52: 24-26.) 



The third and largest community is made up of the place- 

 fellows, that is, inhabitants of the same village or wintering 

 station. According to Rink, 



&quot;still less than among the housemates was any one belonging to such 

 a place to be considered as chief, or as endowed with any authority to 

 command his place-mates.&quot; 



He points out that 



1 The folk-lore in many cases shows how men who had succeeded in 

 acquiring such power were considered as usurpers of undue authority, and 

 vanquishing or killing them ranked as a benefit to the community in 

 general.&quot; (53: 27.) 



Nelson states, 



&quot;The Alaskan Eskimo have no recognized chiefs, except such as gain 

 a certain influence over their fellow-villagers through superior shrewd 

 ness, wisdom, age, wealth, or shamanism. The old men are listened to 

 with respect, and there are usually one or more in each village who by 

 their extended acquaintance with the traditions, customs, and rites con 

 nected with the festivals, as well as being possessed of an unusual degree 

 of common sense, are deferred to and act as chief advisers of the com 

 munity.&quot; Such a leader is known by a term, meaning &quot;the one to 

 whom all listen.&quot; (45: 304.) 



All Eskimo villages have a headman, whose influence is obtained 

 through the general belief of his fellow villagers in his superior ability 

 and good judgment. These men possess no fixed authority, but are 

 respected, and their directions are generally heeded.&quot; (To the same 

 effect, 42: 427; 66: 193.) 



