The Controversial Viewpoints Of Abraham Lincoln s...

The Controversial Viewpoints of Abraham Lincoln’s Involvement in Slavery The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The â€Å"house divided†, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the Civil War, with the Emancipation Proclamation, although when it more closely studied he did not cross the great divide of enslavement vs. freedom with the submittal of that fabled document. When following the many famous quotes and speeches of Lincoln’s life, it appears that he was against all slavery and bondage. Although when they are more closely examined, the quotes and spee ches actually leaned towards his lack of strong opinion on the outcome of slavery. Lincoln is perceived as the most famous revolutionary of American history, but he does not live up to his legacy of being the eradicator of forced servitude. ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’ I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.Show MoreRelatedThe Controversial Viewpoints Of Abraham Lincoln s Involvement1331 Words   |  6 PagesThe Controversial Viewpoints of Abraham Lincoln’s Involvement in Slavery The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The â€Å"house divided†, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonlyRead MoreAnalysis Of Walt Whitman s Dracula And Bram Stoker s `` Dracula ``1886 Words   |  8 Pagesgrowing up as children and young adults, had become advocates of the controversial topics Whitman wrote about. Wilde and Stoker’s writing styles differ from Whitman’s: Wilde is known for his involvement with the Aestheticism movement and Stoker for his classic horror novel, Dracula. Both men have personally met Whitman on multiple occasions in his last aging years when he lived in New Jersey, which shows a direct relation, however Whitman s influence can be seen within the topics and themes the writersRead MorePre-Columbian Period9302 Words   |  38 PagesFugitive Slave Act to make it easier for masters to reclaim runaway slaves.[48] In 1854, the proposed Kansas-Nebraska Act abrogated the Missouri Compromise by providing that each new state of the Union would decide its stance on slavery.[51] After Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 Election, eleven Southern states seceded from the union between late 1860 and 1861, establishing a rebel government, the Confederate States of America, on February 8, 1861.[52] By 1860, there were nearly four million slaves residingRead MoreQualitative Research and Celebrity Endorsement24767 Words   |  100 Pagescertain kind of data, interpretations and test hypotheses across samples. This leads to the failure of capturing the participants’ perspectives (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000, pp.10). It follows rigorous methods and procedures which allow generalization of the findings, to measure and analyze causal relationships between variables (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000). Thus the area of research where the topic under study is large and also when there is a need to deduce casual relations between variables, thenRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesThis page intentionally left blank International Management Culture, Strategy, and Behavior Eighth Edition Fred Luthans University of Nebraska–Lincoln Jonathan P. Doh Villanova University INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul SingaporeRead MoreConflict Management and Emotional Intelligence63003 Words   |  253 Pagesquotient  of  the  customer  would  have  no  effect  on  the  conflict  formation.      The   improvement   of   customer   service   is   achieved   through   the   control   of   the   quality   of   services   provided   by   customer   service   staff   but   also   depends   to   a   lesser   extent   on   the   viewpoint  of  the  customers.      The  customer  service  staff  can  only  control  and  improve  their   own   attitudes   conflict   management.      Hence,   the   choice   of   conflict   management   strategies   depends  on  the  perspective  of  the  customer  service  staff  but  in  general  does  not  involve  the   Read MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesmoney From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S  » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experiencedRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 PagesAssessment Systems EN VI R O NM L TA EN Employee and Labor/Management Relations Equal Employment Opportunity †¢ Compliance †¢ Diversity †¢ Affirmative Action †¢ HR Policies †¢ Employee Rights and Privacy †¢ Union/Management Relations S IZ E Health, Safety, and Security †¢ Health and Wellness †¢ Safety †¢ Security GOALS †¢ Productivity †¢ Quality †¢ Service Staffing †¢ Job Analysis †¢ Recruiting †¢ Selection CU †¢ Wage/Salary Administration †¢ Incentives †¢ Benefits LT U RE Read MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 PagesCongress Subject Headings: Principles and Application, Fourth Edition Lois Mai Chan Developing Library and Information Center Collections, Fifth Edition G. Edward Evans and Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro Metadata and Its Impact on Libraries Sheila S. Intner, Susan S. Lazinger, and Jean Weihs Organizing Audiovisual and Electronic Resources for Access: A Cataloging Guide, Second Edition Ingrid Hsieh-Yee Introduction to Cataloging and Classification, Tenth Edition Arlene G. Taylor LIbRaRy and InfoRMaTIon The Controversial Viewpoints Of Abraham Lincoln s... The Controversial Viewpoints of Abraham Lincoln’s Involvement in Slavery The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The â€Å"house divided†, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the Civil War, with the Emancipation Proclamation, although when it more closely studied he did not cross the great divide of enslavement vs. freedom with the submittal of that fabled document. When following the many famous quotes and speeches of Lincoln’s life, it appears that he was against all slavery and bondage. At the same time, when more closely examined, the quotes and spee ches actually leaned towards his lack of strong opinion on the outcome of slavery. Lincoln is perceived as the most famous revolutionary of American history, but he does not live up to his legacy of being the eradicator of forced servitude. ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’ I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.Show MoreRelatedThe Controversial Viewpoints Of Abraham Lincoln s Involvement1331 Words   |  6 PagesThe Controversial Viewpoints of Abraham Lincoln’s Involvement in Slavery The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The â€Å"house divided†, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonlyRead MoreAnalysis Of Walt Whitman s Dracula And Bram Stoker s `` Dracula ``1886 Words   |  8 Pagesgrowing up as children and young adults, had become advocates of the controversial topics Whitman wrote about. Wilde and Stoker’s writing styles differ from Whitman’s: Wilde is known for his involvement with the Aestheticism movement and Stoker for his classic horror novel, Dracula. Both men have personally met Whitman on multiple occasions in his last aging years when he lived in New Jersey, which shows a direct relation, however Whitman s influence can be seen within the topics and themes the writersRead MorePre-Columbian Period9302 Words   |  38 PagesFugitive Slave Act to make it easier for masters to reclaim runaway slaves.[48] In 1854, the proposed Kansas-Nebraska Act abrogated the Missouri Compromise by providing that each new state of the Union would decide its stance on slavery.[51] After Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 Election, eleven Southern states seceded from the union between late 1860 and 1861, establishing a rebel government, the Confederate States of America, on February 8, 1861.[52] By 1860, there were nearly four million slaves residingRead MoreQualitative Research and Celebrity Endorsement24767 Words   |  100 Pagescertain kind of data, interpretations and test hypotheses across samples. This leads to the failure of capturing the participants’ perspectives (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000, pp.10). It follows rigorous methods and procedures which allow generalization of the findings, to measure and analyze causal relationships between variables (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000). Thus the area of research where the topic under study is large and also when there is a need to deduce casual relations between variables, thenRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesThis page intentionally left blank International Management Culture, Strategy, and Behavior Eighth Edition Fred Luthans University of Nebraska–Lincoln Jonathan P. Doh Villanova University INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul SingaporeRead MoreConflict Management and Emotional Intelligence63003 Words   |  253 Pagesquotient  of  the  customer  would  have  no  effect  on  the  conflict  formation.      The   improvement   of   customer   service   is   achieved   through   the   control   of   the   quality   of   services   provided   by   customer   service   staff   but   also   depends   to   a   lesser   extent   on   the   viewpoint  of  the  customers.      The  customer  service  staff  can  only  control  and  improve  their   own   attitudes   conflict   management.      Hence,   the   choice   of   conflict   management   strategies   depends  on  the  perspective  of  the  customer  service  staff  but  in  general  does  not  involve  the   Read MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesmoney From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S  » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experiencedRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 PagesAssessment Systems EN VI R O NM L TA EN Employee and Labor/Management Relations Equal Employment Opportunity †¢ Compliance †¢ Diversity †¢ Affirmative Action †¢ HR Policies †¢ Employee Rights and Privacy †¢ Union/Management Relations S IZ E Health, Safety, and Security †¢ Health and Wellness †¢ Safety †¢ Security GOALS †¢ Productivity †¢ Quality †¢ Service Staffing †¢ Job Analysis †¢ Recruiting †¢ Selection CU †¢ Wage/Salary Administration †¢ Incentives †¢ Benefits LT U RE Read MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 PagesCongress Subject Headings: Principles and Application, Fourth Edition Lois Mai Chan Developing Library and Information Center Collections, Fifth Edition G. Edward Evans and Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro Metadata and Its Impact on Libraries Sheila S. Intner, Susan S. Lazinger, and Jean Weihs Organizing Audiovisual and Electronic Resources for Access: A Cataloging Guide, Second Edition Ingrid Hsieh-Yee Introduction to Cataloging and Classification, Tenth Edition Arlene G. Taylor LIbRaRy and InfoRMaTIon

Prisoner Reentry in Michigan Free Essays

The state of Michigan spends more money on jails and prisons than it does on education, but is this money well spent? The Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative would suggest that it is. The MPRI is a collaborative effort that draws from the commitment of community groups, the Michigan Department of Corrections, and other state agencies. Launched in 2003 and expanded statewide in 2008, the initiative’s mission is to equip every released offender with tools to succeed in the community. We will write a custom essay sample on Prisoner Reentry in Michigan or any similar topic only for you Order Now The MPRI is a nationally recognized commitment to public safety that gives prisoners the tools they need to succeed in a process that begins when they enter prison and continues through parole and reintegration into the community. The MPRI has effectively reduced Michigan’s prison population, recidivism rate, and crime rate. (Figure 1) It has broken the cycle of soaring Corrections costs by investing in safe alternatives to costly and unnecessarily long stays in prisons. By breaking the cycle of crime and incarceration, the MPRI has managed to cut spending on prisons down by 293 million dollars annually, and although that may be the biggest benefit it is one of many. (1) The number one goal of the MPRI is to reduce crime. It does that by better preparing parolees before they return to the community, making smarter decisions about who is released and when, and providing enhanced supervision and services in the community. It ensures what Lansing Prison Warden Kenneth McKee calls â€Å"a game plan for success,† which includes a team of supporters from the community who will help them carry out the plan. 1) MPRI begins at intake, when a prisoner’s risk, needs and strengths are measured to develop individualized programming. Prior to parole, offenders are transferred to a reentry facility, and a transition plan, which addresses employment, housing, transportation, mentoring, counseling and any necessary treatment for mental illness or addict ions, is finalized in close collaboration with community service providers. After release, officers use firm but flexible graduated sanctions- including short stays in a reentry center if needed-to manage rule breaking before it escalates to more serious transgressions. All correctional jargon aside, the basic message remains; you can’t put offenders back into the situation and lifestyle they came from before prison and expect the outcome to be different. This is where â€Å"reentry† comes into play. (2) The MPRI was built in three phases to create seamless transitions back into society. Phase one is the â€Å"getting ready† phase. This phase begins the day the prisoner enters the prison. It starts at the reception center with a comprehensive assessment of each prisoner’s risk factors, needs and strengths. A Transition Accountability Plan is formed to determine the services the prisoner will need to prepare them for life after prison. This plan also establishes a set of expectations for the prisoner and how well they adhere to the plan weighs heavily in decisions made by the Parole and Commutation Board. Phase two is the â€Å"going home† phase. This phase begins about two months before the prisoners expected release date. During this phase, prisoners identified as needing more intensive preparation and support are transferred to an â€Å"in-reach† center, a prison closer to home. This helps set the stage for a smooth and successful transition. The focus during this phase is also to help the prisoner find work and become â€Å"employable† as well as setting up stable housing. Depending on their needs, prisoners are linked with community services such as substance abuse treatment, mental health services, or sex offender therapy. The conventional role of a parole officer is transformed to a case manager in an effort to help the transition team get a support system in place. When the parole date arrives the prisoner is armed with a structure and support network in place to help them succeed. Lastly, phase three is called the â€Å"staying home† phase. As opposed to a decade ago where parolees were released on a Friday and had a weekend or more to get into trouble before their first meeting with their parole agent, they are now released earlier in the week and they promptly meet with their parole agent and service providers. This first meeting is used to establish job leads, assist with resumes, ensure medical assistance if needed and identify stable housing. 1) This transformation of Michigan’s corrections system has been remarkable, but it did not happen overnight. Over the course of eight years the MPRI has moved from an idea of fixing a broken system to a comprehensive strategy that is changing the nature of prisons. In doing this the MDOC has created many employment opportunities for positions such as parole agents, corrections officers , teachers and case managers. The transformation has also changed the way former prisoners view people in these positions. Grand Raids police officer Terry Dixon runs a weekly support group for MPRI participants and says that â€Å"Many are looking at police officers in a new way, as supporters. † (1) The MPRI is constantly meeting challenges; one of the largest being special needs prisoners. Those include youths, the medically fragile, those with mental health issues and sex offenders. Before the MPRI, says Michigan Parole and Commutation Board Chairwoman Barbara Sampson, parole board members were reluctant to grant parole to the mentally ill because they knew services were not in place to help them succeed. Now, she said, the transition accountability plans are designed to ensure a smooth transition to the community. Similarly, she said, effective new treatment programs are in place for sex offenders. (1) The $56 million spent on the MPRI in fiscal year 2011 is substantial, but it is only a small fraction of the $2 billion Michigan Department of Corrections budget, and it is paying back dividends in public safety and reducing the prison population. The rate of parolees returning to prison for new crimes or technical violations is at its lowest level since record keeping began 23 years ago. Even though there are more parolees, the number returning to prison for new crimes fell from 2. 020 in 2006 to a projected 1,836 in 2010. Michigan’s prison population grew by nearly 500% between 1973 and 2003, consuming a much greater share of tax payer dollars. The number of prisoners has safely declined by almost 7,500 since March of 2007 and is at its lowest level since 1999. As a result the state has been able to close 14 correctional facilities. (1) It is important to recognize what the MPRI is and what it is not. It is not a magic potion that will eliminate crime. It is also not an early release program. Every parolee has served at least the minimum court imposed sentence. MPRI is a strategy that pulls together the state, the community, police, mentors, therapists, and others to give each returning prisoner a game plan for success. Former Saint Clair County Community College professor Michael Berro explains the MPRI bottom line as being â€Å"the understanding that the majority of felony offenders will return to our community. We should prepare them for it so they don’t end up back here, spending our tax dollars again. † (3) Michigan may be spending more money on jails and prisons than it does on education, but consider the effect the MPRI has had on repeat criminal offenses, inmates in prison and the general crime rate. It has successfully managed to lower all three. When the state’s budget is squeezed by declining tax revenue, and areas of spending are under question, it seems the success of a government funded program couldn’t come at a better time. WORKS SITED 1. Michigan Department of Corrections. (2010). Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative 2010 Progress Report. Lansing: Public Policy Associates, Inc. 2. Wesoloski, E. (2011, April 15). Pew Center Report Lauds Michigan Prisoner Reentry Initiative. Prisons and Prisoners, p. 1. 3. Berro, M. (2006, March 13). Former Maccomb County Parole Supervisor, College Professor. (R. Spangler, Interviewer) How to cite Prisoner Reentry in Michigan, Papers

Kwakiutl Indians free essay sample

The Northwest Coastal Indians, Kwakiutl, lived in what is now Alaska along the Pacific Ocean down the coast to Northern California. The environment was very diverse and often extreme which included a rugged strip of land with small islands, deep inlets, inland rivers and lakes, deep fjords, and wide and narrow beaches. Mountains rise to the shore in many places. Spruce, cedar, and fir forests dominated the area supplying endless amounts of wood. All the people lived near the water and relied heavily on the water for survival.Temperatures were moderate, which allowed the people to fish all year. There was access to the Pacific Ocean for fishing and collecting food like clams and shellfish. Salmon was the most important food. The Kwakiutl tribe was very intelligent people who were able to develop a strong and dependent society by creating multiple uses of the dense woods, coastal rivers, and the ocean. Their adaptive strategy used in the northwest pacific surrounding was so unique and complex that the tribe could function systematically on their own. From the abundant supply of food from the waters around them, agriculture was not necessary to them in this area, even though the dense wild life had plenty of vegetation to offer from the nuts and berries to hunting animals for their hide. However, they did not hunt to stock up on food but more for the warm useful hides of the animals to have more clothing through the year. However, they were able to create other useful clothing out of cedar bark. There was many things made from the cedar bark such as woven baskets, shirts, everyday skirts for the women, the cedar tree was a big part of this culture.The items that they held prize possession to were items that were hand crafted and designed by the people. These extraordinary art crafts are highly decorative and in this present day pieces of the Kwakiutl culture have been left behind and put in museums to be looked at by people. The Kwakiutl were a fascinating tribe they had enormous amounts of information about their surrounding envi ronment. They were very sophisticated in the caste system with who does what and the tools made by the people to have create the artifacts they did is showing high amounts of intelligence from the people.In order for the people to carve or design art pieces they need tools. The tools that were used to do the carvings to make a totem pole, canoe, or home they needed sharp items to be able to carve the wood. They used bones from caught killed animals and other sea mammals. The bones or stone was filed down to have the sharp edge to carve the wood, scrape the hide, or crafting the canoes. This technique was very similar to others using bones for the tools needed to make their sacred belongings. They were able to use this technique because of the surplus they had with shellfish, and other shelled seafood. It’s proven they ate tremendous amounts of shellfish because of the mounds of shells they left behind. They also ate huge amounts of salmon, and because they ate so much they would have a revivication ceremony to give respect to the salmon for its life. The salmon was respected by the northwest peoples as the plains Indians respected the buffalo for its hide. These people were very independent and had structured religious beliefs that caused for a sacrifice to the gods for the abundant supply of goods given to them.The Kwakiutl tribe had many beliefs that animals represent certain gods and these were the animals or birds that were carved in to the totem poles or, canoes. These tribes give a lot of insight on how our organic environment can be better used and treated. The Kwakiutl tribe put their surroundings to the best use by having homes, clothes, transportation, and food. By them being so structured they were able to live to give back to their people. Men mostly did the activities out side of the house. They did the hunting, trapping, fishing, and building of things.While the men were doing their activities, the women did theirs and it was different from the men. The women mostly stayed in the houses. Their activities were to take care of the children, make clothing and cook meals. The chief of the tribe still had control of the tribe. When a baby was born in the tribe, they had baby-naming ceremonies. Instead of living in single-family homes, they lived in houses like a community. In British Columbia, were the Kwakiutl tribes are at, their culture is known by their artistic totem poles and masks for rituals.Before contact with the settlers, they had an organized society of different class and they performed a potlatch ceremony. The people in the tribe traded goods with the explorers. They traded furs with them and then they started to become assimilated to the western culture lifestyle. The people started working in the fishing industry. With all the changes from the Europeans, disease brought many deaths to people of the tribe. Their population dropped dramatically but it has been increasing over the years and they are still working the fishing industry. Copper was a valuable item in trade with the Europeans and valuable to the people.Copper was something that showed wealth of a person. The decoration of the resident’s home signified the status of them. They were totem poles and cedar poles with decorative carvings. A popular art in the Kwakiutl tribe was making jewelry. Shells from the hunts and beaches were brought back to make jewelry out of it. Almost everybody wore ear rings and nose rings that were made out of shell. For some women to show that they are married, they wore a plug made out of shell, bone, or wood in their lower lip. Many of the women wore necklaces. They also wore bracelets and anklets made from fur.The tribe had a matriarchal society, through the female line. On the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada, there were about thirty different groups. In each of the groups, the rank of the people depended on their family ancestry and was governed by a chief. The social status of the people showed who held rights and also allowed them to sing certain songs, wear masks, and display personal wealth. The totem poles were another way to show family ancestry, social status, and an important event that happened in a chiefs’ or a noble’s life. The crest figures on top of each other had different meanings.Certain animals that are on the totem poles show a story of the people in the clan. The animals carved on the totem poles were mostly of bears, birds, or animals from the ocean and forest. The kinship of the Kwakiutl people was based on a bilinear structure and it had some characteristics of a patrilineal culture. They had a large extended family and an interconnected family. The people in the tribe could trace their genealogy back to their ancestral roots. The head chief would assign people their roles in his family. In each clan, there are several sub-chiefs.They gained their title through their families’ lineage and organizing the property of the land. The concept of the property of the land was an important part of their daily life. Property for hunting and fishing were inherited through the family. The society was divided into four classes which are: the nobles, aristocrats, commoners, and slaves. The language family that the Kwakiutl language or Kwak’ala speak comes from the Wakashan language in the Northwest Coast. The term Kwakwaka’wakw is used for the ethnic group and Kwak’wala is used for the language. The mainland in British Columbia was occupied by them.Around the time of contact with the Europeans, many tribes or families were formed. Each of them came together under one chief. With the coming of the Europeans, things changed dramatically for the Kwakiutl people. They brought guns and diseases with them. Conflicts with the Europeans and the people in the tribes started rising. Children were started to be sent out of the villages to boarding schools. With the assimilation of the western culture, the natives were beginning to lose their culture because they were not able to practice it. It was hard for the people to revive their language because it had been lost for a long time.A potlatch is a gift-giving festival and primary economic system. The potlatch culture of the Northwest is famous and widely studied and remains alive in Kwakiutl, as does the lavish artwork for which their people and their neighbors are so renowned. The phenomenon of the potlatch, and the vibrant societies and cultures associated with it, can be found in Chiefly Feasts: The Enduring Kwakiutl Potlatch, which details the incredible artwork and legendary material that go with the other aspects of the potlatch, and gives a glimpse into the high politics and great wealth and power of the Kwakiutl chiefs.The potlatch was also seen as a key target in assimilation policies and agendas. Missionary William Duncan wrote in 1875 that the potlatch was â€Å"by far the most formidable of all obstacles in the way of Indians becoming Christians, or even civilized. † Thus in 1885, the Indian Act was revised to include clauses banning the potlatch and making it illegal to practice.The official legislation read, â€Å"Every Indian or other person who engages in or assists in celebrating the Indian festival known as the Potlatch or the Indian dance known as the Tamanawas is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not more than six nor less than two months in a jail or other place of confinement; and, any Indian or other person who encourages, either directly or indirectly an Indian or Indians to get up such a festival or dance, or to celebrate the same, or who shall assist in the celebration of same is guilty of a like offence, and shall be liable to the same punishment. (Jonaitis). â€Å"We will dance when our laws command us to dance, and we will feast when our hearts desire to feast. Do we ask the white man, ‘Do as the Indian does? ’ It is a strict law that bids us dance. It is a strict law that bids us distribute our property among our friends and neighbors. It is a good law. Let the white man observe his law; we shall observe ours. And now, if you come to forbid us dance, be gone. If not, you will be welcome to us. † O’wax? a? laga? lis Chief of the Kwagul â€Å"Fort Rupert Tribes†, to Franz Boas, October 7, 1886 (Hunt). Potlatches now occur frequently and increasingly more over the years as families reclaim their birthright. The Kwakiutl believed in many spirits and mythological beings. It was believed that every living thing had a spirit and had to be respected. Winalagalis is a war god of the Kwakiutl native people of British Columbia. He travels the world, making war. Winalagilis comes from North (underworld) to winter with the Kwakiutl. Winalagalis is the bringer and ruler of Tseka (Winter Ceremonial), and imbues red cedar bark with supernatural power. Winalagalis is associated with a magical war canoe (alternately described as made of copper, a sisiutl, invisible, able to travel underground, ; permanently fused with Winalagalis). He is also described as thin, tall, and black, with bat-like eyes. Winalagalis ceremonies include the Tuxwid and Hawinalal warrior invincibility dances, and the mamaka (disease thrower) dance. In the Hawinalal, dancer’s don sisiutl girdles are pierced through back ; thigh skin with skewers, and suspended from the rafters of the plank house to demonstrate invincibility ; immunity from pain.He is announced by whistles ; bull-roarers (the voice of Winalagalis). Of particular importance in Kwakwakawakw culture is the secret society called Hamatsa (Hunt). During the winter, there is a four-day, complex dance that serves to initiate new members of Hamatsa. The Hamatsa dancer represents the spirit of Baxbaxwalanuksiwe (Man-Eater at the North End of the World); who can transform into various man-eating birds and has mouths all over his body. Hamatsa initiates are possessed by Baxwbakwalanuksiwe. On the first day of the Hamatsa ceremonies the initiate is lured out of the woods and brought into the Big House to be tamed.When the initiate returns, he enacts his cannibalistic possession symbolically. Gwaxwgwakwalanuksiwe is the most prestigious role in the Supernatural Man-Eater Birds ceremony; he is a man-eating raven. Galuxwadzuwus (Crooked-Beak of Heaven) and Huxhukw (supernatural Crane-Like Bird who cracks skulls of men to suck out their brains) are other participants. Tseiqami is a man who comes from the cedar tree and Thunderbird, lord of the winter dance season, a massive supernatural bird whose wing beats cause the thunder, and the flash of whose eyes causes lightning. Tseiqami hunts whales for its dinner out at sea, and sometimes helped heroic ancestors build houses by placing giant cedar beams for them. Thunderbirds adversary is Qaniqilak, spirit of the summer season, who is often identified as the sea god, Kumugwe. Kumugwe or Komokwa is the name of Undersea Chief. Sisiutl is a giant three-headed sea serpent whose glance can turn an adversary into stone. Cross beams of clan houses sometimes are carved with his appearance.Blessed ancestors have sometimes received sisiutls help when he transforms himself into an invincible war canoe, and sometimes into a magic belt with which to gird one against all dangers. Dzunukwa (Tsonokwa) is a type of cannibal giant (called Sasquatch by other Northwest Coast tribes) and comes in both male and female forms. In most legends, the female form is the most commonly told; she eats children and cries hu-hu! to attract them, she imitates the childs grandmothers voice. Children frequently outwit her, sometimes killing her and taking her treasures without being eaten.