Final answer:
The Kwakiutl potlatch, as discussed by Cronk, exemplifies a cultural practice where chiefs demonstrate wealth and power through the distribution of gifts, defining social status by generosity rather than accumulation of wealth.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Cronk in "Reciprocity and the Power of Giving," the Kwakiutl potlatch is a good example of a way to demonstrate wealth and power in Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest. This ceremony is not only a form of reciprocal exchange but also a means of distributing goods and establishing social status. During these events, chiefs would sponsor large feasts and give away valuable gifts, such as blankets and copper plaques, to show their generosity and challenge others to reciprocate with greater opulence. The hosts' ability to give away wealth, rather than hoard it, was a sign of their rank and societal status.