| The ceremonial season
of the Kwakiutl includes potlatches, feasts, functions, and Winter Dance Ceremonies.
Initiations, marriages, feasts, and dramatic performances associated with secret societies
were also held during this season (Corbin pp.42-43).
Kwakiutl ceremonies can be divided into social ceremonies that focus on the fulfillment of
social obligation or ceremonies performed by secret societies and other dance groups which
aim to establish or renew relations between the Kwakiutl and the supernatural (Gunther p.113). The Kwakiutl employ drums in all of these ceremonies along
with masks, costume, song and dance. |
