Northwest Coast Formline Art & Culture

• Learn about Northwest Coast Culture, Peoples, & Society

  • Societies & Structure

  • The Role of Art & The Potlatch

  • How Art Drew Inspiration

  • Impact of the Potlatch Ban

  • The Future of Formline Design & First Nations Art

• Gain an appreciation for Formline Design & Move towards Reconcilliation

Northwest Coast Peoples

Study this map carefully, you'll be quizzed about it in the next slide

The map shows some of the First Nations cultures located along the Northwest Coast that use Formline Design in their Artworks

Northwest Cultures continue north into Alaska, and south far past the US Border.

Northwest Coast peoples are composed of similar yet distinct​ groups who have their own customs, beliefs, and histories.

Family & Social Structure

Moieties:
Each society is broken up into at least two groups
• Eagles
• Ravens

You cannot marry someone from the same moiety. You were considered related.

Family & Social Structure

Clans and Households:
Subgroups of each moiety

• Each has the right to a different crest & stories

• Crests represent creatures their ancestors interacted with in the legendary past.

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK1AFOD7SUE

–Art Making Tradition

“In Tsimshian culture, a story is told in oral
form, in written form from crests, and from symbols such as totem poles [which] focus on some of the clan histories...”

Function of Northwest Coast Art

1. Shows where you belong in a society:
   (e.g your position & family relationships)
   

2. Sharing Cultural Stories & Family Histories