Five types of tools are represented in this exhibit. Three types served several purposes, both for everyday labor and in warfare. The other two types were used for defense and ceremony.

The first three types are striking, piercing, and cutting tools. They all were used in everyday labor such as hunting, butchering, cutting wood, dressing hides, and as weapons before being replaced by guns. These tools are categorized by the type of arm motion required.  

Two other types of tools are defensive and ceremonial. Defensive objects include protective shields and shirts, and ceremonial objects include such things as pipes and the otter breastplate. They are all “tools” in that they helped the native people maintain social, spiritual, and political relations in a changing and challenging environment.