TRIBAL SOCIP]TY 245 



not mean a deity wliicli is extraordinary in itself, but 

 things wliich are strange, or mysterious, are Manitou. 

 Thus the Indian lias no idea of one Great and Kulinft- 

 Spirit as we have, but he l)elieves in a multitude of spirits 

 animating all surrounding objects.'^ 



One of the most interesting institutions of primitive 

 ])eople is "Totemism." Frazer defined a totem as, "a 

 class of material objects which a savage regards with 

 superstitious respect, believing that there exists between 

 him and every mciubci- of the class an intimate and alto- 

 gether special relation.""^ Because totemism is often 

 closely connected with the social and religious institutions 

 of i)rimitive people it is one of the most illuminating sub- 

 jects of study for the anthropologist. There are several 

 features which various authorities have believed to be 

 symptomatic of totemism. Dr. Goldenweiser has sum- 

 marized them as follows : 



(1.) An exogamous clan. 



(2.) A clan name derived from the totem. 



(3.) A religious attitude towards the totem; as a 

 "friend," *' brother," "protector," etc. 



(4.) Taboos, or restrictions against killing, eating 

 (sometimes touching and seeing), the totem. 



(5.) A beliet' in descent from the totem. ^" 



Since totemism among the Australian tribes and among 

 the Indians of British Columbia ])resents certain charac- 

 teristic features mentioned above, we will study these 

 primitive groups and their relation to totemism. It is 

 necessary to recognize that the totem is of three general 

 kinds: the clan totem, coiinnon to all menibei's of the 



^5 Jones, W. — "Tlic Alj;oiikiii ?»raiiituu," Jour. Anicr. Full-Lure, vol. 

 xviii, pp. ISo-lHU. "' Fia/.cr, J. C!. — Totemism, p. 1. 



1" Goldenweiser, A. A. — "Toteiuisni, An Analytical. Study," Jour. Avtcr. 

 Folk-Lorc, vol. xxiii, April-June, 1910, no. Ixxxviii. 



