ocr: u cutwater help to - steady it in high waters. At one time canoes were an E essential part of life in the Pacific Northwest, used for traveling to ceremonies, for trade, and for war. Here a chief of the Chilkat tribe, standing in the rear of the canoe, is depicted arriving at a potlatch, a grand ceremonial feast. The two men with long poles at the front, as well as the paddlers on the sides, are captured slaves. 36