During the early Seattle Potlatches, many of these canes were used by the celebrants. A tablet the size of an aspirin made of a strong explosive was put in the iron slot at the bottom and when it was thumped on the sidewalk, a very loud explosion occurred. These noisemakers unfortunately burned women's ankles from the flash so they were prohibited by city ordnance. Potlatch celebrations were held in Seattle from 1911-1914, 1934, and 1938-1941.

The name "Golden Potlatch" appropriates a Chinook Jargon word describing a Native ceremony celebration and gift giving. It also reflects the importance of the Klondike Gold Rush to Seattle's growth. Many organizers and participants in the Golden Potlatch dressed in stereotyped imitations of traditional Native attire, as part of a created Potlatch myth. The appropriation of Indigenous culture in order to market products or events was one common example of discrimination and marginalization faced by Native peoples in the United States.