Grade 3 Indian Project NORTHWEST CULTURE The Northwest Indian Culture was in what is today the states of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Many small tribes such as the the Makah, the Chinook, and the Tillamook lived in this culture area. The tribes in this culture were much smaller than the other cultures. The Northwest Culture depended on the forests for their shelter. Every home was made of wood, and the whole village pointed toward the water, whether it was a river, a quiet bay, or the ocean. Along the beach were the canoes, covered with bark matting or branches to protect them from the weather. In the back of the house were wooden racks that dried fish, wooden sheds for smoking fish, and storage sheds. The homes themselves were quite large. They were built for more than one family. There is evidence of houses that were over 1,000 feet longbig enough for the whole village. The houses were built with frames of large trees. These were then covered with wooden planks that overlapped to keep out the wet weather. There were no windows, but there was a hole in the roof that let in air. Outside of each home was a totem pole. | |
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