Misrepresenting the Potlatch

摘要: The potlatch is at once an exotic commonplace and a favourite object of philosophical speculation. Like other indigenous terms – most prominently ‘mana,’ ‘totem’ ‘taboo’ ‘potlatch’1 well-known both within beyond academe; it appears in general dictionaries2 staple introductory anthropology courses. Yet despite such wealth references, there nothing self-evident about the term ‘pot-latch’ ethnographic realities meant to describe. This mainly due fact that has chequered past initially highly political overtones. Instead referring primarily hard facts ethnography, lies core particular representation (alien) otherness dominated late nineteenth-century history British Columbia. Under impact massive European settlement potlatching became target civilising endeavours Protestant missionaries, leading anti-potlatch legislation designed foster assimilation Northwest Coast peoples into Euro-Canadian society. As result, ‘potlatch’ came subsume precarious coexistence ‘civilised’ settlers ‘savage’ Indians under colonial rule. initial (mis)representation was carried over professional anthropology, where definitions arrived by coloniser were hardly probed.