What was Tlingit transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes? Yes--the Tlingit Indian tribe was made dugout canoes by hollowing out spruce and cedar logs. The Tlingit tribe used these canoes to travel up and down the sea coast for trading, fishing and hunting, and warfare. Their most impressive war canoes, which could be more than sixty feet long and withstand ocean storms, were bought from the Haida tribe, who had access to the best cedar trees and were considered the best canoe-makers by the other Northwest Coast tribes. Here is a website with pictures of Northwest Indian canoes. Today, of course, Tlingit people also use cars... and non-native people also use canoes.

 

 

 

 

 

What was Tlingit food like in the days before supermarkets? The Tlingit Indians were fishing people. Tlingit men caught fish and sea mammals from their canoes. They also hunted deer, mountain goats, and birds. Some Tlingit bands, who lived further inland, relied more on big game like caribou and moose. Tlingit women gathered shellfish, seaweed, berries, and roots. Here is a website with more information about Native American fishing.