User talk:Shoutsofvictory

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Please remember to sign your messages on talk pages by typing four tildes ( ~ ); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Questions, ask me on my talk page, or, and a volunteer should respond shortly. Again, welcome! JudgeRM  (talk to me)  21:18, 2 February 2017 (UTC)

Ravens
Who doesn't like ravens? Noah, Huginn and Muninn, Ravens of the Tower of London... Anyway, just wanted to say about Emberverse, which is great but long (related Nantucket series is shorter), that as I recall Haida appear in books 4, 11 and 12. They are not good guys in this story, though. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 19:57, 18 June 2020 (UTC)

Also, when you want to WP:PING someone like here, you have to include a WP:SIGN in the same saved edit in addition to the "ping-code "or it doesn't work. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 19:57, 18 June 2020 (UTC)

On the question of WikiLove, personally I often use H:THANK or a few words, depending, but it's a buffet to choose from. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 19:57, 18 June 2020 (UTC)

Potlatch
I'm removing part of one of your edits to that article. That whole sentence beginning "Legal proceedings ..." appears out-of-place with no connection to the rest of the lede. If you were trying to mention 'occasions' for potlatch, then what is wrong with the start of the Overview section?

In fact, I would think you ought to read the whole article again, and question why you are adding so *much* to the lede of the article. It is a common mistake to try stuffing too much *important* *stuff* into the lede, which would be better covered naturally in more detail later in the article. Please review what you've jammed into the lede. I think you've been too generous.

BTW: at a conference in Ottawa 15-20 years ago I was surprised to find that a number of Europeans had never heard of potlatch. Educated, but not knowledgeable? Shenme (talk) 03:08, 28 February 2022 (UTC)


 * Hi User:Shenme!
 * Thank you for your help with my edits.
 * I am a Haida person who has participated in several capacities at dozens of potlatches throughout Haida, Tsimshian, and Heiltsuk territories.
 * To me, it is important to include this list of functions because it shows the many things that a potlatch can do, and therefore describes what a potlatch is. I can think of no finer place to give a brief overview of what a thing is than the article lede.
 * By including that sentence I also hoped to widen reader's understanding of the diverse functions potlatches have in northeastern Pacific coastal societies. For example, as someone from a potlatch culture who has intimate experience with potlatching, the starting statement "A potlatch involves giving away or destroying wealth or valuable items in order to demonstrate a leader's wealth and power" provides a very, very limited impression of what potlatches really are. While this is a part of potlatching, I would not actually describe this as the core function of a potlatch. Additionally, the terminology that focuses on "a leader" arguably reflects a westernised view of potlatch proceedings. European witnesses might not understand that the leader does not exist as an independently wealthy individual, but only holds a hereditary title on behalf of their entire lineage.
 * When I made additions, I saw that this could be a problematic way to start the article. However, I simply added what I believe from my extensive experience could be a much more well-rounded description of potlatching.
 * I have just re-read it and, to me, it flows quite well.
 * Might you reconsider reinserting my sentence?
 * Haawa! (Thank you!) Shoutsofvictory (talk) 21:54, 31 October 2022 (UTC)