Question

Which of the following is NOT true of a potlatch?

A. Some tribes still practice potlatch to this day, as a memorial to the dead.
B. The potlatch made enemies of local groups along the northern Pacific Coast.
C. Potlatching served to prevent the development of socioeconomic stratification.
D. Potlatching was practiced by the Salish.
E. Potlatching tribes were foragers.

Answer 1

The incorrect statement regarding potlatch is that it made enemies of local groups along the northern Pacific Coast. Potlatches were actually socio-political ceremonies that displayed wealth and power through gift-giving, affirming social status and alliances rather than creating hostility.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is NOT true of a potlatch is B. The potlatch made enemies of local groups along the northern Pacific Coast. In fact, potlatches were socio-political events that were important in the redistribution of wealth among groups such as the Haida, Kwakiutl, and Tlingit. A potlatch was a demonstration of wealth and power, where hosts would distribute gifts and sometimes engage in competitive feasts with other chiefs as an assertion of prestige.

Option C states that potlatching served to prevent socio-economic stratification; however, it is more accurate to say that potlatches maintained and reinforced the hierarchical social structures that existed within tribes. Far from causing enmity, potlatches were a way to establish and reinforce power and alliances among communities. They allowed for the flow of wealth across communities, and also celebrated important events like births, weddings, and memorials.

Potlatches were indeed practiced by the Salish people, among other tribes, and they did take place among tribes that were foragers, hunters, gatherers, and fishers, living in a region with rich natural resources. Potlatch practices continue to be observed among these tribes even today.