boas] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 511 



his exogamic group and family, provided ho was entitled to such 

 a name by descent. 



Names were bestowed in the following manner: A few days after 

 the birth of a child, or even before the child was born, its father or 

 maternal uncle would gather property and food for a potlatch' and 

 feast. Property was distributed. During the feast the father took 

 the child to the house of his wife's uncle. There the father would 

 call on one of his own uncles or his own brother to proclaim the child's 

 name. This person took the child in his arms, and said, "Call his 

 name So and So" (0. dEin am-ayas gina-rjwidu) . Then the father 

 gave a valuable present to his own maternal uncle or brother who had 

 proclaimed the name, — a slave, a large canoe, or a costly garment. 



When the child was about two years old, it?, father or uncle would 

 give another feast and potlatch, during which the father took the 

 child to his wife's uncle. The boy's hair was tied on the crown of 

 his head with the skin of one of the crest animals belonging to the 

 child's maternal uncle. At one place Mr. Tate mentions that for a 

 child of the Eagle group a weasel skin was used. Then the father of 

 the child called again upon one of his own relatives to proclaim the 

 child's new name. For this service another valuable present was 

 given. 



When the boy came to be a youth, a similar performance was gone 

 through, and he received some more crests, such as a hat, and a new 

 name. The method of bestowal of crest and name is the same as in 

 the preceding ceremonies. 



When the youth came to be a man, his father or uncle gave another 

 great feast to all the Tsimshian. This is called potlatch (yd°l-). Now 

 the father of the young man put a painted garment on his boy which 

 had the crest of the boy's mother's clan. His body is painted red. 

 He carries in his hands a paddle carved with his father's crest. A 

 story explains the painted garment, and a song belongs to it. After 

 the story of the painted garment had been told, they sang the songs. 

 After two or three songs, one of the father's relatives was called 

 up. He put his hand between the young man's shoulders and pro- 

 nounced his name. Then the young man was promoted to a position 

 near a chief, which was called sa-dzihaa. 



Later on the uncle of the young man might give another great 

 feag-: While the guests of the prince's maternal uncle were assembled 

 in the house, the prince came in by himself, wearing his crests, and 

 brought in all the goods which he had — slaves, canoes, elk skins, 

 costly coppers — and he was now promoted to the next higher position. 



When a man finally wants to take a chief's name, and if his father 

 is dead, he requests a relative of his late father to announce his new 

 name. This service is paid in the same way as before, and the 

 amount is paid at a feast given to the whole tribe or to several tribes. 



