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Did the Native Indians own things?
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Yes. Some things were owned by individuals, other things were owned by the community.
The village community owned the land, in particular the fishing sites.
The village also owned the larger fishing weirs.
The individual owned household tools, weapons, traps and snares, and similar items.
Food resources were in most places distributed according to needs.
A more restricted system prevailed on the northern Plateau, where gift-giving
ceremonies occurred, reminiscent of the potlatches of the Northwest Coast Indians:
after some days of games and contests, gifts were distributed to the guests, who in
their turn reciprocally handed over presents to their hosts.
Although possessions were valued in many parts of the Plateau, the Klamath paid
greater attention to them than any other group and held wealthy persons in
great esteem. But the attitude of the Klamath, probably derived from the Northwest
Coast, differed from the more general Plateau pattern: equality and the sharing of
necessities.
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