Page 55 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Canada

Contemporary Art
While rooted in tradition, contemporary Aboriginal art is bold, TOP CULTURAL
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exciting, and often political. Look for the vibrant paintings COLLECTIONS
of Daphne Odjig (1919–2016), and the powerful sculptures of
Haida artist Bill Reid (1920–98), which can be seen at the Bill The Royal British
Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (639 Hornby St, Vancouver) . Columbia Museum
The First Peoples
Gallery here has a fine
collection of ceremonial
masks (p100).
McMichael Canadian
Art Collection
Contemporary First
Nations and Inuit
artworks are the focus
of this museum’s
fascinating indigenous
galleries (p196).

Museum of
Anthropology
at UBC
The huge collection
of Northwest coast
First Nations art and
artifacts here includes
outdoor Haida houses
and totem poles (p84).

The Spirit of
Haida Gwaii, a jade
sculpture by Bill
Reid, at Vancouver
International Throat singers
Airport performing at Manito
Ahbee Festival

Indigenous Music
At events such as the
Manito Ahbee Festival in
Winnipeg and Toronto’s
Canadian Aboriginal
Festival, you may get the
chance to hear throat-singing,
a fascinating musical form
unique to the Inuit, performed in
tandem by two women who imitate the
sounds of nature. Throat singer Tanya Tagaq is among the
young Indigenous artists fusing traditional and mainstream
genres to great effect. Another is DJ Shub, who blends
drumming and pow wow singing with electronic dance beats.
REPATRIATION OF ARTIFACTS
Museums across Canada are working with First Nations
people to return precious tribal artifacts, which have
great spiritual and emotional significance. Some have
gone to the descendants of the original owners, while
others have been designated for use in sacred ceremonies,
or to act as inspiration to artists and craftspeople.

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