1st edition printing 1977, hardcover, condition book is very good, dust cover some rips in front top left and corner only 136 pages, fine to very good condition otherwise, hardcover
Northwest Coast Native Technology
originally published in 1977.
provides a comprehensive look into how traditional marine technology, ecological knowledge, and spiritual customs intersected among First Nations communities along the Pacific Northwest. Author Hilary Stewart combined museum archive research with direct knowledge shared by coastal village elders and fish camps to document these systems.
The core information detailed in the book is divided into four main pillars:
1. Advanced Fishing Technology & Tool Manufacturing
The book is famous for its heavily annotated hand-drawn illustrations that show how natural resources were engineered into highly specialized fishing equipment:
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Hooks & Lines: It explains how flexible plant roots, giant kelp, and stinging nettle fibers were twisted into heavy-duty sea lines. It explicitly illustrates how stems of yew wood or specific tree knots were steam-bent and paired with bone or stone barbs to create specialized halibut, cod, and trolling hooks
. [1]
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Traps & Weirs: The text charts the construction of large-scale wooden lattice tidal traps and river weirs. These stationary structures allowed communities to safely harvest specific volumes of fish moving with the tides while letting others pass.
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Spears & Harpoons: Diagrams break down complex component systems, including detaching toggle-headed harpoons used for large marine game like sturgeon or salmon.
2. Species-Specific Harvesting Strategies
Rather than a general overview, the book breaks down the specific ecological strategies required for different marine life:
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Salmon & Trout: Tailored river netting, dip nets, and river spears designed for seasonal spawning runs.
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Bottomfish (Halibut & Cod): Deep-sea bottom-dwelling rigs engineered to float just above the ocean floor to avoid snags while targeting specific fish weights.
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Herring & Oolichan: The use of specialized herring rakes—long wooden shafts studded with sharp bone teeth swept through the water to impale small schooling fish.
3. Processing and Food Preservation
Because fish was the primary winter food security resource along the coast, a dedicated portion of the text documents post-catch processing:
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Butchering & Slicing: Traditional methods of cleaning and precise knife work adapted to maximize meat surface area.
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Smoking & Drying: Detailed look at open-air racks and smokehouses designed to cure large quantities of salmon without spoiling.
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Oolichan Oil Rendering: The processing of eulachon (candlefish) in large boiling vats to extract highly valued "grease," a critical trade commodity and nutritional staple along historical coastal grease trails. [1,
4. Spiritual Beliefs, Art, and Conservation Management
A defining strength of Stewart's work is highlighting that
the practical and the spiritual were inseparable in traditional coastal fishing.
[1]
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The First Salmon Ceremony: Honors the first catch of the seasonal run, returning its bones to the water to ensure the fish spirits would regenerate and return the following year.
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Taboos and Respect: Outlines tribal rules regarding waste prevention, seasonal catch limits, and protocols that naturally maintained sustainable fish populations for millennia.
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Artistic Attributes: Explores the symbolic fish motifs carved and painted onto everyday utility items—such as wooden fish clubs, tackle boxes, and ceremonial rattles.
