16

is small and apparently stationary, so that their neighbours will certainly
absorb them, just as the Stuart Lake Carrier have long since absorbed the
Sekani whom Harmon visited on Tachie river.

Still a third process has operated among the Sekani in recent times,
the amalgamation of separate bands into a single unit. The Yutuchan
and T’sekani bands, that were often at feud during the first half of the
nineteenth century, now occupy a single village at McLeod lake and have
almost forgotten their old separation. Similarly the Tseloni and Sasuchan
bands have combined at Fort Grahame. The prime causes of these amal-
gamations were three: (1) closer contact at the trading posts; (2) the
erection of permanent houses of wood around the trading posts instead of
temporary lodges of brush or skin; and (8) the partial destruction of
the bands through introduced diseases. Two at least of these causes,
trading posts and diseases, are directly attributable to Europeans; but
parallel forces, for example, destruction through war instead of disease,
undoubtedly produced similar amalgamations long before any European
made his appearance on the stage of Indian history.

The history of the Sekani bands during the last two hundred years
probably repeats, with modifications due to white influence, the history
of other Athapaskan-speaking tribes that crossed the Rockies or descended
from the north along the western flanks of the mountains many centuries
earlier. This will appear still more probable when we examine the social
organization and mythology of the present day Sekani, and perceive how
they have tried to follow exactly the.same road as their Carrier and
Tahltan neighbours.

TUM Se 2