334 
went prolonged and usually arduous initiation rites in order to gain 
the favour and patronage of certain supernatural guardians. Those 
who had the same supernatural guardian sometimes formed a fratern- 
ity that acted as a separate unit within the society and held its own 
public ceremonies and dances. Among the Kwakiutl there were a 
number of these fraternities, and the society was so poweiful that 
when it conducted its ceremonies during the winter months it sus- 
pended the normal organization of the communities and practically 
controlled the lives of the people. The chiefs of the Haida, how- 
ever, would not tolerate such usurpation of their authority and 
prestige. When they borrowed (or bought) the institution from the 
Tsimshian they retained all rights to initiation in their own hands, 
restricted membershiji to near kinsmen, permitted the dances only 
at potlatches, and prevented any union of initiates into groups that 
might usurp the control of the villages. Strictly speaking, therefore, 
there was no secret society among the Haida, only an unorganized 
body of initiates who vaguely imitated the dramatic ceremonies of 
the secret society to the east and south in order to glorify their 
“ houses ’’ and clans. ^ ' 
The dependence of the Haida on the sea reflected itself in their 
religion. They believed, like other Indians, that supernatural beings 
surrounded them on every side; and the more philosophic among 
them postulated a being on high, a “ Power of the Shining Heavens,” 
as the ultimate source of the power that resides in both the super- 
natural world and the world of the senses. Yet it was to the “ Ocean- 
Beings ” that they offei'ed most of their prayers aiul sacrifices, because 
they considei’ed that these beings could embody themselves in fish 
and sea mammals aiifl, in conseciucnce, affect the main food supply 
of the people. So the Haida offered them grease, tobacco,- and the 
feathers of the flicker, either by burning these objects in the fire 
(which released their souls), or by throwing them into the water. 
The ceremonial life of the Haida closely ]iaralleled that of the 
Tlinkit; in both there was a succession of feasts and potlatches to 
mark every event from childhood to the grave. The Haida, however, 
were more addicted to tattooing than any of the other west coast 
1 C/. Swaiitoii, .1, R. : " The Ilaida”; Memoirs Am. Miis. Nut. Hist., vof. S; Je.sup Kxpetlition, vol. 
5 (New York, 1909). 
- The Haida grew a tobacco-like plant, not for smoking, btit to chew with lime obtained by burning 
shells. They abandoned its ciiltLeation, however, a.s soon as they obtaiiicfl smoking tobacco from 
Europeans. 
