Day 8

 Still Vancouver, BC.

This morning we visited the Museum of Anthropology, at the University of BC. This is the most extensive and well-done museum I've ever seen! Their design principle was to exhibit nearly all their collection, rather than keep 90% in storage..
The First Nation People exhibits were extensive. It's hard to conceive the number of masks, bentwood boxes, totem poles, baskets and so on that are on display. I've never seen anything like it.

The central hall had numerous bentwood boxes and totems. These are quite old, as you can see. The color has pretty much faded or worn off.

 There were a number of totems so old the wood had partially rotted. This next carving is by Bill Reid, a very famous artist. 

Once out of the central hall, there was room after room of NW Coast items.

Masks, masks and more masks!

And more!

Baskets, too. Shelves and more shelves of them.

Note the cabinet to the right. These are wide drawers that pull out with more stuff. Might be small baskets, might be basket material, might be other stuff.

Masks and hats.

This afternoon, we went to the Bill Reid gallery. I recommend the web site, www.billreidgallery.ca

There are several examples of Chilkat and Ravenstail weavings in the gallery. This one is by Evelyn Vanderhoop.

This hat is by Dolores Churchill. There is a video of Holly Churchill demonstrating how to harvest cedar bark from a tree, without harming the tree.

These three women were part of the NW Coast exhibit at the Eiteljorg and we (the guides) got to know them well.

This is one of Bill Reid's most famous pieces, Eagle discovering First Man emerging from a clam shell. This is cedar, but he has also made this same sculpture in yellow cedar, gold and silver. Amazing!

I couldn't show you the many jewelry pieces because photographs of them is not allowed in the gallery.

Tomorrow to Whistler.