Definitions for potlatch
ˈpɒt lætʃpot·latch

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. potlatchnoun

   a ceremonial feast held by some Indians of the northwestern coast of North America (as in celebrating a marriage or a new accession) in which the host gives gifts to tribesmen and others to display his superior wealth (sometimes, formerly, to his own impoverishment)

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. potlatchnoun

   A ceremony amongst certain Native American peoples of the Pacific northwest in which gifts are bestowed upon guests and personal property is destroyed in a show of wealth and generosity.

2. potlatchnoun

   A communal meal where guests bring dishes to share, a potluck.

3. Etymology: From potlatch, from p̓ačiƛ.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Potlatch

   A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States, among whom it is traditionally the primary governmental institution, legislative body, and economic system. This includes the Heiltsuk, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Coast Salish cultures. Potlatches are also a common feature of the peoples of the Interior and of the Subarctic adjoining the Northwest Coast, although mostly without the elaborate ritual and gift-giving economy of the coastal peoples (see Athabaskan potlatch). A potlatch involves giving away or destroying wealth or valuable items in order to demonstrate a leader's wealth and power. Potlatches are also focused on the reaffirmation of family, clan, and international connections, and the human connection with the supernatural world. Potlatch also serves as a strict resource management regime, where coastal peoples discuss, negotiate, and affirm rights to and uses of specific territories and resources. Potlatches often involve music, dancing, singing, storytelling, making speeches, and often joking and games. The honouring of the supernatural and the recitation of oral histories are a central part of many potlatches. From 1885 to 1951, the Government of Canada criminalized potlatches. However, the practice persisted underground despite the risk of government reprisals including mandatory jail sentences of at least two months; the practice has also been studied by many anthropologists. Since the practice was decriminalized in 1951, the potlatch has re-emerged in some communities. In many it is still the bedrock of Indigenous governance, as in the Haida Nation, which has rooted its democracy in potlatch law.The word comes from the Chinook Jargon, meaning "to give away" or "a gift"; originally from the Nuu-chah-nulth word paɬaˑč, to make a ceremonial gift in a potlatch.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. potlatch

   A potlatch is a ceremonial event or gathering traditionally held by certain indigenous communities in North America, particularly those in the northwest coast. This social event often involves giving away or destroying wealth and assets to demonstrate one's prestige and generosity. It is both a social and economic practice where the host gives gifts to guests, and through this act, the host gains social prestige, recognition, and status.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Potlatch

   A potlatch is a gift-giving festival and primary economic system practiced by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and United States. This includes Heiltsuk Nation, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Coast Salish cultures. The word comes from the Chinook Jargon, meaning "to give away" or "a gift"; originally from the Nuu-chah-nulth word paɬaˑč, to make a ceremonial gift in a potlatch. It went through a history of rigorous ban by both the Canadian and United States federal governments, and has been the study of many anthropologists.

Matched Categories

1. • Ceremony
   • Fete

Anagrams for potlatch »

1. tolpatch

How to pronounce potlatch?

1. Alex

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How to say potlatch in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of potlatch in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of potlatch in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=potlatch
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Potlatch
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potlatch
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=potlatch