Businessman in Native American costume, Golden Potlatch, Seattle, ca. 1913

The Golden Potlatch was a city-wide festival held in July organized by civic boosters hoping to capitalize on the success of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. The first Golden Potlatch opened in July 1911; the event continued for each of the next three summers before being suspended during wartim...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Nowell, Frank H.
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:unknown
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Online Access:http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/imlsmohai/id/5645
Description
Summary:The Golden Potlatch was a city-wide festival held in July organized by civic boosters hoping to capitalize on the success of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. The first Golden Potlatch opened in July 1911; the event continued for each of the next three summers before being suspended during wartime. The name reflects the importance of the Klondike gold rush to Seattle and borrows a Chinook jargon term for gift-giving ceremony. The boosters also used Chinook jargon to call themselves the Tillikums (friend) of Elttaes, (Seattle spelled backward). Thousands of people enjoyed the week-long carnival of parades, aircraft demonstrations and concerts. Here, one of the organizers dressed as a Native American Tyee, or chief, poses in a formal stance. He holds a ceremonial staff and is wearing a headdress and fringed jacket. Embossed on front of print: Frank H. Nowell, U.S.A. Photo from album with "Tillikums of Elttaes" embossed on the cover. 1 photographic print: b&w; 7 5/8 x 9 5/8 in.