Topic summary
Athabaskan potlatch
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Potlatch among Athabaskan peoples.
History
The traditional Athabaskan potlatch had "social, religious and economic significance." It was a gathering that combined aspects of competition, peacekeeping and a show of wealth. During a potlatch, members of the society with a surplus of food and supplies provide these for all members of a clan, and in situations with other clans this sharing of resources is either a competitive showing or one of creating loyalties, and sometimes both simultaneously.