Where the Thunderbird lives: cultural resilience on the Northwest Coast of North America

Evocative exhibition at the British Museum looking at the one of the longest cultural traditions of North America which has continued despite environmental and social change. 

As I walked up to the exhibition I suddenly remembered a book we were read at junior school called Beaverbird by Ruth Underhill which was set amongst the indigenous population of this area and all the words which I had found magical like potlatch came flooding back to me. It’s strange how these things come flooding back.

You were greeted by a large welcome figure which would have faced the sea or be placed on a high location to welcome people to a village. There were some lovely objects. I loved a bowl in the shape of an animal on its back with its tail as a handle. I also liked the axes with fish heads and clubs with faces on them.

It was sad to read that about 90% of the population died when the Europeans came and brought smallpox and that in the 20th century some of the children were forcibly removed from the tribe to be re-educated. The potlatch, a great gathering and feast, was canned in 1885 and only revived since 1951 which I guess might be why the book I was read was written.

Closes on 27 August 2017

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