Chapter 12: An Ethic of Reciprocity: Illuminating the Stó:lō Gift Economy

This chapter focuses on reciprocal exchange in the context of Stó:lō Coast Salish economic philosophy of gifting in Stl’e’áleq, or “potlatch” traditions. Stl’e’áleq are shaped by an ethic of reciprocity committed to the strength and quality of relationships between people. We develop the notion of reciprocal exchange from Indigenous philosophy as economic systems that are humancentered and wealth-driven. We illuminate how Stl’e’áleq exchange is humancentered, in that what is exchanged transcends the tangible and explicit, and additionally, implicit actions and behaviors have impacts on the strength and quality of relationships that are bound by reciprocity. Our focus on Stl’e’áleq as wealth-driven explores Stó:lō concepts of wealth and well-being founded in the wholeness of the people. These components are contextualized with examples of how Stó:lō Coast Salish Stl’e’áleq are continued today, and how the principles have been applied within the corporate atmosphere of BC Hydro, a provincial Crown-corporation in Canada, to strengthen its relationships with First Nations communities in BC.