Technology of the Northwest Coast : a smallest space analysis of the technological relationships of 31 tribal units
Date
1972
Authors
Farnden, Jacquelyn
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Abstract
The pre-contact technologies of 31 Northwest Coast tribal units are examined. The focus is on groups covered in the University of California Element Lists (Barnett 1939 and Drucker 1950), but where possible groups have been added.
The technological similarity between paired groups is measured using Driver's G coefficient of similarity. Smallest space analysis, based on this measure, is used to discover the interrelationships of groups.
Overall technological relationships are investigated using a sample of 31 groups and a reduced sample of 28 groups (three groups had very small variable sample sizes). Three major divisions of groups are established: Salish, Nootka, and Central-Northern. A south to north geographic pattern is observed in the diagram. Alternate classifications of the Salish (Barnett 1939, Jorgensen 1969, and Mitchell 1971) and of the entire Northwest Coast (Kroeber 1963 and Drucker 1965) are examined. Concordances are found between the present scheme and all alternate classifications (especially for the Salish). No scheme, however, is a perfect reflection of the present results. Of course, most of these schemes were developed to apply to total cultures, and some of the alternate technological and non-technological relationships. Linguistic relationships are also compared to the relationships developed, and considerable similarity is found between the two patterns of relationship. A biotic zone scheme (Chapman and Turner 1956) of environmental relationships is examined and found lacking in explanatory power. An environmental classification based on a group's position with reference to the coast and coastal type is developed and found to have some relevance to the pattern of observed relationships. A single factor explanation of group relationships is found to be inadequate.
Technology is divided into four major categories: subsistence; dress, ornament, and textiles; travel and transport; and structures and furnishings-with a residual miscellaneous category. Subsistence is further divided into food preparation, water resources, and land resources. On the basis of a 28 tribal unit sample, group relationships are examined for the four major categories and for the sub-categories of subsistence. The geographic south-north pattern is still evident. The three part division into the Nootka, Salish, and Central-Northern clusters has some importance for most categories, especially for subsistence. The pattern of groups is never identical for any two categories.
Environmental factors and linguistic-ethnic affiliations are considered in relation to the sub-categories of technology. Linguistic-ethnic divisions are found to be of importance in understanding group relationships, especially in non-subsistence categories. Environmental factors, including access to the coast and mainland-island distinctions, are also found to be of aid in understanding these relationships, especially in subsistence categories.
Mean G coefficients of similarity are used to examine the consistency of linguistic-ethnic units and access to the coast environmental types. Using these means and the patterns of relationships in the SSA diagrams, some inferences are made on the temporal stability and sensitivity to environment of the technological categories. In subsistence categories, linguistic-ethnic units are generally less homogenous than in non-subsistence categories; assuming that more homogeneity is indicative of less change from a common ancestor, then subsistence categories are less stable than non-subsistence categories. This is analogous to the typical picture of technology as less stable than social organization, which is in turn less table than ideology. Structures and furnishings is the least consistent non-subsistence category. Use of mean G coefficients for access to the coast categories suggests that subsistence categories, especially food preparation and water resources, are more sensitive to at least this one environmental factor. No category of technology is found to be more homogenous for the entire area of the Northwest Coast.