The Dance of the Ahtna Potlatch: a Mechanism for Cultural Survival and Societal Definition Through the Spending of Kinetic Energy

• Main Author: Flint, Alison E.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Open Works 1997
• Subjects: Sociology and Anthropology; ahtna
• Online Access: https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/6326; https://openworks.wooster.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7354&context=independentstudy

The dance portion of the Ahtna potlatch functions as a mechanism for cultural transmission. The decline of the Ahtna, Athabaskan population has increased the responsibility of the potlatch to maintain indigenous customs. The potlatch is one of the few remaining traditional Ahtna rituals, as many have become extinct. The mortuary potlatch is the most commonly performed due to the high rates of suicide and alcoholism. Thus, the role of survival is inherent to the Ahtna potlatch as it is performed during times of crisis. The spatial structure and social roles of the dance portion mirror aspects of Ahtna society, defining it nonverbally. The act of dancing enables the spending of kinetic energy which heightens consciousness to allow a connection with spiritual icons from the remote past. This connection reinforces their historical, ancestral identity, which aids in the sustenance of contemporary Ahtna culture.