ABSTRACT
The northern Northwest Coast is noted for its spectacular art and architecture as well as its complex and highly structured social organization. The southern half of the Northwest Coast and the adjacent Plateau appear less elaborate in these respects, and correspondingly receive less attention. Just over a dozen, often powerful, language groups occupied the northern half of the coast, with a roughly equal number on the Plateau, but over thirty along the southern coast. This diversity along the coast was possible because of a temperate climate and abundant resources, the latter allowing the accumulation of great wealth in some areas. The Plateau, by contrast, is less hospitable, with a much greater range of temperatures, large semi-desert regions, and less abundant food supplies. Throughout both regions, salmon was a major food source, and large quantities were dried or smoked for winter use, along with other fish, game, roots, and berries. Villages on the coast were semi-permanent and often large, while those on the Plateau were probably smaller; residents of both made seasonal migrations to take advantage of available resources. The more open country of the southern Plateau allowed the development of a culture dependent on the horse for transportation, whereas the canoe played this role elsewhere, especially on the coast, where the many waterways made extensive use of horses impractical. The literatures of these regions show as much diversity.
