Native Peoples of the Northwest

By Krystyna Poray Goddu

A thin strip of land and islands makes up the Pacific Northwest coast of the United States and Canada. This region has long been home to many groups of native peoples who spoke different languages and had distinct cultural practices. The native peoples of the Northwest thrived in this land of rocky beaches and cedar trees.

• The Chinook developed a special language for trading with other nations.
• The Kwakwaka'wakw created masks that could show two different faces.
• The Bella Coola had a secret society that performed in a four-night winter ceremony.

Many native peoples still live in the Northwest and continue to fish, carve totem poles, and work to preserve their land and cultures. Learn more about the unique history and cultures of the native peoples of the Northwest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Aug 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512422580

Krystyna Poray Goddu

Krystyna Poray Goddu has been a writer and editor for more than thirty years; her books include Dollmakers and Their Stories: Women Who Changed the World of Play, and A Girl Called Vincent: A Biography of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, both middle-grade nonfiction. Her writing for children has also appeared in American Girl magazine. She reviews and writes about children’s books for Publishers Weekly and The New York Times Book Review. In addition to her writing and editing experience, she has worked in school libraries and taught writing to middle-school students in independent schools in New York City. She holds a degree in comparative literature from Brown University.

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