Art of Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest

1
Art of Native Americans of the Pacific
Northwest
2
Chief Shakes tribal house, Wrangell Alaska. The
four house posts are among the oldest in Alaska.
3
Tlingit totem pole and community house in Totem
Bight State Park, Ketchikan, Alaska.
4
Tlinglit totem pole at the Sitka National
Heritage Park

• Full-size poles are carved from red cedar trees
  because
• It is easy to carve,
• It doesnt warp,
• It grows tall and straight,
• It is highly insect and disease resistant, and
• It smells good!
• What animals do you think are represented in
  these totems?

5
David Boxley, Tsimshian totem pole carver,
working on a pole, Metlakatla,Alaska.
Lawrence Migdale Photography
6
The people of Metlakatla raise the totem pole in
celebration of the Potlatch.
Lawrence Migdale Photography
7
Northern-style dugout canoe with painted figures
on prow and sternProbably from Queen Charlotte
Islands, British Columbia, late nineteenth
century.

• Cedar Canoes
• Some tribes hunted for food in the sea.
• They built great seagoing canoes.
• Some were more than 60 feet long.
• They often carved elaborate pictures and painted
  designs on their canoes.

8
The only surviving Haida war canoe, 17 m (56
feet) in length with a beam of nearly 2 m (6
feet). Collected at Masset in 1908 by Reverend
William Hogan and R. W. Brock.
9
Alfred Davidson of Masset, shown carving the
canoe that was commissioned for the 1904 Seattle
world's fair.

• Photograph by Edward Sapir, 1914.

10
A Bear crest from the prow of a Haida war canoe.
Collected on Haida Gwaii in 1879 by Israel W.
Powell.

• This is an animal crest from the prow of a Haida
  war canoe.
• Figures like this were added for ceremonial
  occasions and removed for battle.

11
A deep bentwood food dish. Collected at Skidegate
in 1897 by Charles F. Newcombe.

• The design on this bentwood box, originally
  painted in black and red, is that of a Whale with
  Nansimget hanging onto its head.
• Large feast dishes like this one could hold an
  entire 50-pound roasted salmon.

12
A bentwood food dish with its cover of woven
cedar bark. Collected in Skidigate circa 1900 by
Charles F. Newcombe.
13
Burial chest and regalia of Chief Skowl, Kasaan,
Alaska. Photograph by Albert P. Niblack, 1883
14
Transformation mask. Collected on Haida Gwaii
(probably at Skidegate) in 1879 by Israel W.
Powell.
15
Transformation mask, closed and open. Collected
on Haida Gwaii (probably at Skidegate) in 1879 by
Israel W. Powell.
16
Whale transformation mask. Collected on Haida
Gwaii in 1879 by Israel W. Powell.
Closed
Half-open
17
Whale transformation mask. Collected on Haida
Gwaii in 1879 by Israel W. Powell.

• Masks were the most valued possessions of the
  people.
• Although many thousands of the masks still exist,
  no two have been found to be exactly alike.

18
Native Mask - Raven by Stan C Hunt C2007

• The Raven is one of the most important beings in
  Northwest art.
• He is known to be a Trickster and Transformer.
• This mask is carved from red cedar and finished
  of with a cedar bark skirt.