The Structure of Twana Culture: With Comparative Notes on the Structure of Yurok Culture

This remarkable account of Washington's Twana Indians contains the most complete body of information compiled on any Native American group in the southern coast Salish region. The Structure of Twana Culture, which describes the lifeways of the aboriginal people of Hood Canal on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, has long been of special interest to readers interested in the pre-white and pre-reservation life of tribal peoples.

Originally published in 1960, William W. Elmendorf’s well-written ethnography includes a new foreword, but otherwise remains unabridged and unaltered. Also retained are A. L. Kroeber’s extensive notes on the Yurok Indians of northwest California. These notes compare aspects of Yurok culture to that of the Twana, providing an informative perspective on the similarities and variances of cultures within the southern Northwest Coast area.

William W. Elmendorf is a professor emeritus of anthropology from the University of Wisconsin, and currently works and resides in Davis, California.

A. L. Kroeber (1876-1960) was the undisputed dean of American anthropology during his 45-year tenure at the University of California, Berkeley.