 The "siy̓ám̓" was usually chosen by factors which included his status and respect within the community, the village and other indigenous nations, and how much he exemplified the characteristics of a noble person, such as humility, respect, generosity, and wisdom.The Squamish class structure is similar to that of other Coast Salish peoples.Unlike the European class structure, characterized as a pyramid, Squamish classes were historically structured in a manner more comparable to an inverted pear.