Museum of Northern BC to host Dundas collection in March

As reported elsewhere on this blog site, the much debated Dundas Collection is going to make its debut appearance at Prince Rupert’s Museum of Northern BC.

The Daily News featured the story in its Wednesday paper.

Treasured artifacts coming home
Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Pages one and three

For the first time in about 150 years, the religious artifacts which were given up as part of the Metlakatla tribe’s conversion to Christianity are coming home.

The famous Dundas collection will be on exhibition at the Museum of Northern B.C. in the traditional territory of the Tsimshian First Nations from March 1 – April 14.

“The hereditary chiefs of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw’ alaams and Metlakatla agreed that the traveling exhibit of this collection should begin in Tsimshian territory, where these important cultural pieces originated and where our children and elders would be the first to see them,” said spokesperson James Bryant.

“The owners of the pieces agreed to our request, and we appreciate that very much.”
The 36 artifacts, which were sold off at auction in New York last fall, are being put on display by nine of the new owners and include the most significant and spectacular items from the Dundas Collection — two wooden face masks, two rare clubs made of carved antler and a clan hat.
The collection, acquired by Rev. Robert James Dundas in 1863, in Old Metlakatla, near present-day Prince Rupert, was auctioned amid the glare of attention from around the world by Sotheby’s in October 2006.

For Museum of Northern B.C. curator Susan Marsden, it is wonderful to see the opening of this exhibition in Tsimshian territory.

“It is truly an honour to have been asked by the hereditary chiefs to host the opening exhibit of this collection in their territory.”

“The Museum of Northern B.C. is also grateful to the owners of the collection for the privilege of exhibiting these exceptional Tsimshian works of art. The carved spoon we purchased at the Sotheby’s auction in New York – with financial help from the Royal BC Museum – will also travel with this collection,” said Marsden.

Once the exhibit is over in Prince Rupert, it will move on to the Royal B.C. Museum April 27 – July 4.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to take a leadership role in returning this historic collection to Canada,” said James Easton, who represents the owner of the largest group of artifacts.

“Very rarely does a chance present itself to make a contribution of this importance to First Nations and Canadian culture, and we are honoured to be part of it. We are looking forward to the opening celebration in Prince Rupert and to participating in future exhibitions in other Canadian cities.”

The objects — many of which were given up as part of the Metlakatla tribe’s conversion to Christianity by Anglican missionary William Duncan — have been viewed in the past as politically sensitive because of their traditional religious significance and the way in which they were obtained by Dundas, who visited Duncan’s mission in October 1863.

The detailed journal Dundas kept of his encounter with the Metlakatla natives and his acquisition of the carvings has exponentially bolstered the historic importance of the collection. Most of the objects had belonged to Tsimshian grand chief Paul Legaic before he converted to Christianity and was required, by custom of the era, to give up objects connected to the practices of traditional native spirituality.

Future exhibition dates and venues, yet to be confirmed, will be organized by exhibit coordinator, Donald Ellis of Ontario’s Donald Ellis Gallery, in conjunction with the Royal BC Museum.

“We are honoured to be hosting this exhibition and assisting with the tour,” said RBCM CEO Pauline Rafferty. “This is a superb and significant collection of First Nations artifacts. The generosity of the people who purchased these items in the name of preserving Canadian history is astounding.”

Representatives from RBCM and Museum of Northern BC have worked closely with chiefs and elders of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla to develop this exhibition.

The Dundas collection sold at Sotheby’s last fall for more than $7 million, a record sale and well above the anticipated value.