Indians of the Northwest Coast by Philip Drucker

Commonalities and diversity among Native peoples of the region

In the early and mid-20th century, the American Museum of Natural History published a series of books called Anthropological Handbooks. I’ve never been able to find a complete list of the books in this series, but I have found a few volumes available for free download online. Indians of the Northwest Coast by Philip Drucker, an anthropologist with the Smithsonian Institution’s Bureau of American Ethnology, is number 10 in the Handbook series and was published in 1955. My interest in the Northwest Coast Indians began with a love for their beautiful art, and trips to Alaska and British Columbia in recent years have heightened my curiosity about their culture, beliefs, and lifestyle.

In books related to history, archaeology, or anthropology, when I see the word “Handbook” in the title, it leads me to expect an overview suitable for general readers. This book is indeed an overview, but it’s hard to say who the intended audience is. It definitely requires the reader to have some foreknowledge of anthropological concepts and subject matter. There is a discussion here about blanket weaving, for example, for which the reader is expected to be familiar with the techniques and technical terminology of Native American hand weaving. In general, the text of this book reads as if it were meant to provide a general overview of the Northwest Coast Indians to anthropologists who specialize in some other region or culture.

The information is organized into categorical chapters on material culture, economy, social structure, religious beliefs, rites and ceremonies, and art. Rather than emphasizing the characteristics and customs common to the various Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest—the Tlingit, Haida, Coast Tsimshian, Bella Coola, Kwakiutl, Nootka, Coast Salish, and more—Drucker spends more pages pointing out the differences between these groups and the many subdivisions thereof. After introducing a practice common to many Northwest Coast peoples, such as matrilineal social organization, dancing societies, or potlatches, Drucker is then obliged to elaborate with a list of all the exceptions to what he just said. The result is a survey in which it’s very hard to see the forest for the trees. I have no issue with the facts presented, only the way those facts are presented. This would be a good reference for seeking specific details, but overall it’s hard to form a vivid glimpse into what Native life was like on the Northwest Coast. Much of this discussion of tribal differences—the Tlingit did this; the Haida did that—could be better accomplished through charts and tables, but few are included. The book is amply illustrated, however, with black and white photographs.

If your primary interest in the Northwest Coast Indians is their art, this book provides a chapter on the subject, but there are better and more colorful books on that topic, such as Bill Holm’s Northwest Coast Indian Art. At the time Drucker wrote his book, there were few Native artists practicing in the Northwest. Since then, thankfully, a number of Native artists have revived the techniques of their forefathers and continue to create compelling art. From this book, I was hoping for more of an understanding of the philosophy behind that art. The popular conception of these Indians nowadays is that they are a peaceful, egalitarian people living in harmony with nature. Readers may be troubled by Drucker’s revelations of historical practices like slavery, cannibalism, and a rather petty obsession with materialism. Although Drucker clearly has great respect for the Indians of the Northwest Coast, this is an old-school anthropology book written by a white ethnographer without any perspective from the Natives themselves, which today would be frowned upon. There is a lot to learn from this book, but there have surely been more comprehensive and accessible surveys of the subject published since.