potlatch
北米先住民の贈与祭
解説 Definition
ポトラッチ。北米先住民による儀式的な贈与祭。富と地位を示すための行為。
A potlatch is a traditional gift-giving ceremony held by some Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is used to mark important events, show status, and strengthen social ties through sharing and giving. The word refers to a specific cultural practice, so it should be used carefully and respectfully.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
potlatch は一般的な gift や festival より、tribe / chief / wealth / status を一緒に束で思い出すと定着しやすい語です。意味の中心は『贈る』ことより、『人前で大量に分配し、ときに破壊までして威信を示す儀式』。a ceremonial gift feast のまとまりで覚えるとよいです。charity のような善意の寄付ではなく、社会的地位を示す公開イベントというニュアンスを区別すると忘れにくくなります。
Do not remember it as just a `gift festival`. Connect it with words like `tribe`, `chief`, `wealth`, and `status`, because the public giving is tied to social honor. That makes it different from `charity`, which is about helping, not showing rank.
例文
The potlatch ceremony was central to the tribe's social structure.
ポトラッチの儀式は部族の社会構造の中心だった。
Chiefs demonstrated their wealth and generosity through a potlatch.
族長たちはポトラッチを通じて自分たちの富と寛大さを示した。
Potlatch traditions were suppressed but have been revived in recent years.
ポトラッチの伝統は抑圧されたが、最近では復活している。
potlatch の類義語・関連語
紛らわしい語
potlatch の語源・成り立ち Etymology
チヌーク語（北米太平洋岸先住民の交易言語）patshatl（贈り物）が語源。部族の首長が富を盛大に分配・破壊して威信を示す儀礼を指す。英語では転じて「気前の良い贈り物の交換」の意味でも使われる。ヨーロッパ語源ではない珍しい借用語。
Potlatch is a loanword from Chinook Jargon, based on a word meaning "gift" or "to give." It entered English through contact with Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. The meaning grew from the basic idea of giving into the name of a ceremonial feast where wealth was distributed to show status, and later it could also mean generous gift-giving more generally.
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