Rifles, Blankets, & Beads: Identity, History, and the Northern Athapaskan Potlatch

Volume 216 in the Civilization of the American Indian Series Whoever heard of a party at which the hosts lavishly give away presents, refusing to accept any gifts in return, keeping little for themselves? This is the custom of the Northern Athapaskan potlatch, a tradition that has long fascinated Americans. In Rifles, Blankets, and Beads, William E. Simeone explores the potlatch and its role in balancing competition and cooperation among the Tanacross people, a Northern Athapaskan culture. According to Simeone, the potlatch tradition helps the Tanacross people uphold standards of acceptable behavior through curbing competitiveness and stressing the ideals of cooperation. Simeone also examines Northern Athapaskan leadership practices, the introduction of trade goods into Athapaskan culture, and the complexities of cultural identity for the Tanacross. "Simeone's analysis is sophisticated and overwhelmingly convincing. . . . Simeone circulated his manuscript among some of the Tanacross people for comment before its publication, and I count the book as another success in the current trend for western anthropologists and historians to consult closely with the Natives about whom they write in a mutual effort to achieve deeper understanding for all concerned."--Catharine McClellan, Alaska History