Once upon a time, on the West coast of Vancouver Island, long before it was called Vancouver Island, the Nuu-Chah-Nulth people fished the Pacific Ocean. Fresh salt-water air was a fact of their lives. Skipping the waves in small boats was common as they searched the sea all summer long for the best places to get fish.
Every year, there were those people who didn't find enough fish for their families. And others who had so much food they could not have eaten it in a dozen life-times. Such is the way for life on the changing Ocean. It isn't the same from one year to the next.
So, they would have a potlatch ceremony.
The Potlatch was an undisguised re-distribution of all the wealth in the culture. In return, the best givers would get the best status. Everyone gave and gave and gave! Shared everything they had! That was the whole point. No one quibbled about it. No one said, "why should someone else take my fish! I'm just a better fisherman!" Because it would be stupid to let the rich stay so rich. Wealth, (when you don't codify it into a dollar) spoils! You cannot just hoard it for ever and ever and ever and ever for no particular reason. It is better to share it so your neighbors don't starve and haunt you sound next year.
...Hm. Maybe we'd be better off if we made our money out of mackerel....
Every year, there were those people who didn't find enough fish for their families. And others who had so much food they could not have eaten it in a dozen life-times. Such is the way for life on the changing Ocean. It isn't the same from one year to the next.
So, they would have a potlatch ceremony.
The Potlatch was an undisguised re-distribution of all the wealth in the culture. In return, the best givers would get the best status. Everyone gave and gave and gave! Shared everything they had! That was the whole point. No one quibbled about it. No one said, "why should someone else take my fish! I'm just a better fisherman!" Because it would be stupid to let the rich stay so rich. Wealth, (when you don't codify it into a dollar) spoils! You cannot just hoard it for ever and ever and ever and ever for no particular reason. It is better to share it so your neighbors don't starve and haunt you sound next year.
...Hm. Maybe we'd be better off if we made our money out of mackerel....
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