Why did Canadian officials outlaw potlatches between 1884 and 1951?

Canadian officials outlawed the potlatch between 1884 and 1951 due to a fundamental misunderstanding of the ceremony by government authorities and missionaries.1

During the second half of the 19th century, high mortality rates from epidemics and social uncertainty led many Indigenous groups to hold increasingly extravagant potlatches to reaffirm social status or defend their rank. Officials and missionaries incorrectly viewed these events as wasteful "giveaways" that impoverished host families. Furthermore, they misinterpreted the reenactment of legends during spirit dances—specifically those involving themes of cannibalism—as the actual consumption of human flesh.1

Driven by these misconceptions and a desire to direct cultural change toward the values of the dominant society, the government prohibited the practice. Despite the ban, the ceremony persisted in discreet settings until the laws were finally repealed in 1951 following organized political efforts by Indigenous groups.1