The story herein is the retelling by Lévi-Strauss of one of the texts in Franz Boas’ “The Religion of Kwakiutl Indians” (1930). That book itself is concerned with the Kwakiutl language (original texts and translations) and does not, as far as I can see, specify the origin of the texts.
That being said, Boaz lived with Kwakiutl in 1893-1894, so the text likely recounts events in mid- or second half of XIX. century.
The story herein is the retelling by Lévi-Strauss of one of the texts in Franz Boas’ “The Religion of Kwakiutl Indians” (1930). That book itself is concerned with the Kwakiutl language (original texts and translations) and does not, as far as I can see, specify the origin of the texts.
That being said, Boaz lived with Kwakiutl in 1893-1894, so the text likely recounts events in mid- or second half of XIX. century.