Explorations in Sights and Sounds
Orginal Publication Date
1989
Journal Title
Explorations in Sights and Sounds
Volume
9
Issue
ess/vol9/iss1
First Page
46
Last Page
47
Abstract
Much has been written about the traditional social organization, art, and technology of the Northwest Coast Indians whose settlements stretch from the state of Washington, through British Columbia, and into southern Alaska. In this volume, writer-photographer Ruth Kirk summarizes the historic and present-day culture of four native groups in the southern part of this region: the Makah, Southern Kwakiutl, and people who call themselves Nuu-chah-nulth and Nuxalk. Until recently, the latter two groups were referred to, respectively, as the Nootka and the Bella Coola. Kirk's task, undertaken with the sponsorship of the Royal British Columbia Museum, was to update information in older publications and present it in a popular format for the general public. In addition to utilizing previously published data, Kirk drew upon the expertise of contemporary linguists, ethnologists, archaeologists, and most importantly-many native elders. Kirk emphasizes that the elders bring a "sense of place and past" to our understanding since these people are a "bridge across time." Numerous first-person accounts and portraits of living individuals bring an exciting and dynamic dimension to this book which is handsomely illustrated with copious photographs, line drawings, and color plates. Specialists may be disappointed that there are no footnotes or citations within the text; there is, however, a selected, topical, bibliography which will allow the non-specialist to delve further into the rich literature on the subject.
Rights
Copyright, ©EES, The National Association for Ethnic Studies, 1989