"Kamloops Potlatch" (June 12, 1891)

[Mike Cleven]

At 10:26 PM 11/5/99 -0800, you wrote:
 The exchanging of presents was a feature of
>the old-time potlatch, but that has been done away with to a considerable
>extent."
>
>[Dave also notes:  I wonder how perfect the writer's understanding was of
>the word "potlatch", for him to have applied it to a Christian festival!]

I know the writer was from Spokane, but up here in BC I'm pretty sure the
term "potlatch" would be used within the native or non-native community
just to refer to a big festivity.  The textbook jargon for this would by
"hyas sunday" or at least "big hiyu" (as Lillooet's annual summer street
party was known).  If the Spokane newspaperman used the term to describe
the event, it is quite probable that he heard it used at it to describe it.
 I don't think the term "powwow" could have been around this region by
then.  Potlatch is pretty apt, especially since this event seems to have
happened in an era of BC life where the termdidn't have the either negative
or more formally ceremonial nature it has acquired since.  It has always
meant something different in the Interior than on the Coast as well, of
course....