Final answer:
The coppers represent cultural identity for the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples, symbolizing the hosts' social status and power during potlatch ceremonies, where wealth is shown through the ability to give away and share.
Step-by-step explanation:
The coppers symbolize and represent cultural identity for Kwakwaka'wakw peoples. During the potlatch ceremonies, items such as copper plaques were given away or sometimes even destroyed to show the wealth and social status of the hosts. This practice demonstrated that wealth in the Pacific Northwest was not about accumulation but the ability to distribute and share with others.
The coppers, along with other ceremonial items, were imbued with social and cultural significance far beyond their material value. Coppers, being part of the gifts exchanged or destroyed in potlatches, became a symbol of the host's ability to engage in this complex network of social reciprocation and competitive feasting, which was integral to establishing and reinforcing power among communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Importantly, the use of coppers and other items in a potlatch were not just about economic transactions; they were deeply tied to the cultural practices that defined the identity and hierarchical relationships within these indigenous societies. In giving away these valued items, leaders asserted their status and the cultural lineage of their clans.