Federal funding aids in Tsimshian bowls return

A federal government cheque for 21,000 dollars has assisted the Museum of Northern British Columbia in recovering two Tsimshian bowls from the Dundas Collection for exhibit at the Prince Rupert museum.

The bowls will have made quite a journey in their time, from original settlements along the North coast to a private collection in England to their return home, reclaimed after the Thomson family and Canadian museum officials took part in a New York auction earlier this year to bring back some of the West coasts heritage.

The bowls won’t be back just yet however, as part of the Dundas Collection they are currently part of an exhibit that is crossing the nation.

The Daily News featured the developments in their Thursday edition.

FEDS FIND CASH FOR DUNDAS ITEMS
Money put toward Museum of Northern B. C.’s acquisitions
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Pages one and two

Member of Parliament for Cariboo-Prince George Dick Harris was in Prince Rupert yesterday to present the Museum of Northern British Columbia with a cheque for $21,000.

The money comes from the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Movable Cultural Property Grants Program, part of a $20 million fund this year that will be divided between museums across Canada and used toward returning historical artifacts.

The money from the feds was matched by a private donor.

“On behalf of the Museum of Northern B. C., I’d like to thank Dick Harris and the Federal Conservative part for their contribution towards the purchase of two beautiful Tsimshian bowls through the Cultural Heritage Properties Program,” said Wes Baker on behalf of the museum.

“Thank you for your support.”

Harris presented the cheque on behalf of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women and Official Languages, Josee Verner, although he is no stranger to Prince Rupert, having grown up here.

“Those of you that are fortunate enough to live in this community, this is a special day to bring these historic artifiacts back to the area where they originated,” said Haris.

“Looking around this museum really shows us that everyone is so proud of what you accomplished here, putting this museum together displaying your First Nations heritage and other artifacts.”

The two Tsimshian bowls are part of the Dundas collection.

They will not be returning for a while because they are scheduled to tour the country along with the rest of a collection that has stops at the Toronto Art Exhibit, and The Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec.

“I’m proud on behalf of our government that we could do this, and I invite you to continue to make applications for funding to bring more pieces of culture back to Prince Rupert where they belong,” said Harris.

“So use the money well, and we’re glad to help you out when the need for more money arises from time to time.”

Tsimshian leaders revisit old concerns over Dundas Collection

The Royal BC Museum held its grand opening of the "Dundas collection" this past weekend, a gala affair that included representatives of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes, the Lieutenant Governor and representatives of the Thomson family which purchased the collection from a New York auction house last year.

The Collection recently was on display at the Museum of Northern BC in Prince Rupert and while at the time the invitation list here seemed to be the most controversial issue, apparently behind the scenes, the collection provided for its share of controversy locally, at least according to the Globe and Mail, which quoted Willy White, director of the Museum of Northern British Columbia:

White said the exhibit's opening in Prince Rupert was one of the most controversial he had witnessed.

"I couldn't even go out to get groceries without people coming up to me wanting to talk about it, whether their feelings were positive, negative or neutral. That's what true art does and I think it speaks volumes about this exhibit. Every one of those pieces is a masterpiece."

Overall however, the actual tone of the ceremony here, didn't seem to match the same level of controversy that the Victoria opening has resulted in.

Friday night's gala for the "Treasures of the Tsmishian", featured opening remarks provided by members of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla, a commentary which has certainly proven to be thought provoking as word begins to filter out about the tone and content of their thoughts.

The Tsimshian chiefs who travelled to Victoria made it clear that they are still not happy about the state of the collection as a form of travelling road show. James Bryant spoke on behalf of the Allied Tribes and his words and those of the other Tsimshian representatives are the ones that seem to be resonating the loudest some three days later.

"These treasures were intended to be passed from generation to generation," Bryant said. "The way they were taken was one of the biggest mistakes that was ever made, and has been repaid.”

The Globe and Mail provided a full report on the Friday opening and the fall out that has followed.

Of particular interest is the debate that the comments have created through the newspapers on line forum, the on line Comments section is filling up with a fair amount of reaction, which in some cases might be helpful to the debate and in others probably not quite so.

Native leaders vent anger at opening

Saying art belongs to their people, chiefs snub new owners of famous artifacts at B.C. ceremony ALEXANDRA GILL

From Monday's Globe and Mail April 30, 2007 at 4:00 AM EDT

VICTORIA — Old grievances die hard.

That was the lesson to be learned at the Royal BC Museum this weekend, after a gala ceremony to celebrate the opening of Treasures of the Tsimshian from the Dundas Collection turned into a dour political snubbing.

"It belongs to us," James Bryant, a spokesman for the hereditary chiefs of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla, defiantly declared as the collection's new owners shifted uncomfortably in the audience.

"We cannot touch them ... we're still locked out," said Wayne Ryan, chief of the Xy'uup tribe, one of several elders who complained about the artifacts being encased under glass.

The 40 artifacts on display are the most significant items from the famed Dundas Collection. Of mostly Tsimshian origin, it is considered by many to be the finest collection of northwest coast native art in existence.

The collection's history dates back to its acquisition in 1863, at Old Metlakatla, near present-day Prince Rupert, where it was given up - or stolen, depending on your point of view - as part of the natives' conversion to Christianity to Rev. Robert James Dundas by Anglican missionary William Duncan.

Simon Carey, a London-based clinical psychologist and great-grandson of Dundas, took possession of the items in 1960. After decades of dispute with the collection's native claimants and unsuccessful negotiations with some of the world's top cultural institutions, he put the items up for auction at Sotheby's in New York last fall.

The record-setting auction, the first sale of so-called American Indian art to fetch more than $7-million (U.S.), attracted intense interest from bidders around the world.

At the eleventh hour, after a special grant request made by the Royal BC Museum was rejected by the province of B.C. and it appeared that this important cache of Canadian cultural history was going to be scattered to the four winds, members of the Thomson family suddenly stepped up to the plate, spending more than $5-million to repatriate the collection. "It was so sad," says Sherry Brydson, a niece of the late Ken Thomson and resident of Victoria, who purchased 19 of the 40 artifacts.

Brydson, whose family is sponsoring the exhibit's national tour through its private investment firm Westerkirk Capital, says she had never purchased an item at auction before reading about the Dundas Collection's plight in a Globe and Mail article written by Sarah Milroy, published the day before the auction.

"I fussed and fumed and stewed for several hours," she explains, before she called up her cousin, Toronto's David Thomson, whose father, Lord Thomson, was a high-profile collector and donor of artworks until his death last year.

Together, she and Thomson spent $5.7-million on 23 objects that include a magnificent Tsimshian wooden face mask purchased for $1.8-million,and a clan hat, purchased for $660,000.

Rather than hoarding the pieces, they went to the other nine owners and initiated a national tour, which is being co-ordinated by the Royal BC Museum in Victoria and Donald Ellis, the Ontario-based native artifacts dealer who represented Brydson, Thomson and several other owners at the Sotheby's auction.

The exhibit's organizers have gone to great lengths to include and respect the wishes of the collection's original owners. The tour, which moves to the Art Gallery of Ontario in July, was launched on March 1 at the Museum of Northern BC in Prince Rupert, in traditional Tsimshian territory, at the request of the chiefs and elders of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes.

But at Friday's opening ceremony at the Royal BC Museum, which featured a ceremonial dance by the Gwis'amiihlgigohl Performers and a speech from Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo, the Tsimshian chiefs who travelled to Victoria made it clear that they are still not happy.

"These treasures were intended to be passed from generation to generation," Bryant said. "The way they were taken was one of the biggest mistakes that was ever made, and has been repaid."
The chiefs thanked the Songhees and Esquimalt Peoples of the Coast Salish First Nation for allowing them into their traditional territories. They thanked the Lieutenant-Governor for attending. They thanked the museum for making it all possible. And they thanked the "white people" who appreciate their "little baubles and stuff."

But not one of the seven chiefs who spoke made any reference to the new owners, a snub that could only be interpreted as deliberate.

"I found it unfortunate that a group of Tsimshian elders chose to use a day that should have celebrated the artistic achievements of Tsimshian artists and the actions of a group of Canadian philanthropists as a platform to air old grievances," Ellis quietly fumed after the ceremony. Willy White, director of the Museum of Northern British Columbia, shrugged off the slight, explaining that the feelings of resentment weren't necessarily reflective of his people.

"When we speak, we only speak the truth. The truth sometimes isn't nice to hear, but it's always going to be the truth."

White said the exhibit's opening in Prince Rupert was one of the most controversial he had witnessed.

"I couldn't even go out to get groceries without people coming up to me wanting to talk about it, whether their feelings were positive, negative or neutral. That's what true art does and I think it speaks volumes about this exhibit. Every one of those pieces is a masterpiece."

Among the many comments he heard, White says there was much praise for the new owners. "People said to me 'Thank God for them. If it weren't for them, we never would have seen it.' "

The Daily takes the museum to task

The Daily News vents more than a bit on the front page of Monday’s paper, over an unusual PR move by the Museum of Northern BC. With the Dundas collection arriving on the North coast for a six week exhibition, the Museum left the Daily News and a number of other local media outlets off the officially invited list to Thursday’s exhibit opening, nor did they get the invite to an information session scheduled for Friday.

With a couple of out of town media outlets apparently granted access, the local media have taken to comparing their notes on the events and putting their take to the developments, including an interview by one Daily news reporter with the other reporter originally tasked to the event.

The issue of media availability is one that should be addressed by the museum and does seem a tad strange in this particular case. Indeed it would certainly be interesting to learn what led to the decision made by the Museum on this issue. However, it would be nice to see the Daily News express similar outrage to other events around the city which seem to disappear into the realm of closed sessions and detour onto that road known as internal matters.

There are surely many other local issues that the paper could also speak out over besides missing out on a gala opening, resulting in a fair amount of rather self serving media spin. The Museum’s original decision seems to be rather wrong, but the over the top outrage at the Daily seems a bit over dramatic as well.

The paper has the right and the responsibility to explain why they may or may not have covered a story; as well as any roadblocks put in their way. But with the tone of their coverage they almost made themselves the story, which isn’t particularly the best way to present a balanced viewpoint.

The thrust of the outrage seems to be over access to the participants, or in this case lack of it. The paper and other media for that matter could probably have contacted any number of participants for interviews prior to (or after) the event, providing for comprehensive background detail, if being shut out of the main event was going to prove problematic.

The paper expressed disappointment and indeed shock and anger at their fate with a comprehensive listing of the slights on pages one and three, as well as an editorial on the issue on pages four and five.

BIG DAY AT MUSEUM PASSES LARGELY UNREPORTED LOCALLY
Viewers, readers, listeners miss out on local coverage.
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, March 5, 2007
Pages one and three

Artifacts given up as part of the Metlakatla tribe’s conversion to Christianity returned to the North Coast on Thursday the same way they left – largely under the cover of darkness.

The Museum of Northern B. C. denied Northwest media official access to the opening of the historic returns of the Dundas collection and the stories of the Tsimshian elders who spoke of their significance on Thursday evening.
This, despite the fact that there were several empty seats at the event.

The museum then denied media outlets, who tell the news and stories about people from Prince George to Haida Gwaii, access to, or simply did not invite media to, another event during which the elders spoke to a group of museum curators Friday morning.

This despite the fact that the Daily News has learned a reporter from the Globe and Mail newspaper, headquartered in Toronto, was invited to attend the opening Thursday night – as were an out-of-town film crew.

“I was shocked and more than a little bit angry. I don’t much care if people don’t take a liking to me personally but my job is to represent the people of the Northwest and to help them share their stories with one another,” said James Vassallo, reporter for the Prince Rupert Daily News, who was blocked from the Friday morning briefing by curator Susan Marsden after earlier being told he could attend.

“I find it horrific when people think they have the right to control the public’s access to information.”

Many of the artifacts in the Dundas Collection, which were given up by the Metlakatla tribe to Anglican missionary William Duncan, have been viewed in the past as politically sensitive because of the traditional religious significance of some items and the way in which they were obtained. The collection was acquired by the Rev. Robert James Dundas while visiting Duncan’s mission in October 1863 in Old Metlakatla, near present day Prince Rupert.

The collection was auctioned amid the glare of attention from around the world by Sotheby’s in October 2006.

The opening of the first exhibit of the Dundas Collection in Tsimshian territory was significant because local people would be the first to see the items before they are exhibited nationally and internationally.

However, the absence of local TV, radio and newspapers in an official capacity meant many were denied the chance to hear and see what Tsimshian leaders had to say at this culturally significant moment.

“This whole thing was handled incredibly poorly given the history of these artifacts and their significance to First Nations in the area,” said Vassallo. ”It’s also particularly offensive given this exhibit is being funded publicly by local taxpayers through the Museum of Northern B. C.”

The city of Prince Rupert donates $165,000 annually to the museum and took out a $2.5 million loan several years ago on behalf of the museum so it could remain in the Chatham complex.

The Royal B. C. Museum, which is coordinating the cross-Canada tour, said it had nothing to do with organizing the opening. It was in the hands of the Museum of Northern B. C.

MEDIA BAN MEANT LOCAL PEOPLE MISSED OUT
It was disappointing not being able to bring our readers a first-hand account of the arrival of the Dundas Collection at the Museum of Northern British Columbia.
Earle Gale
Editorial
The Daily News
Monday, March 5, 2007
Pages four and five

The internationally-important collection of mainly Tsimshian artifacts was officially received back onto the North Coast and unveiled at a special ceremony on Thursday afternoon.

We had wanted to be there to witness the occasion and initially intended to have a front-page story about the event and a page of photographs in the Friday paper.

Understandably, several readers have since asked us what happened at the event on Thursday and wondered why they have not seen a story.

Unfortunately, we were unable to cover the event because the press was excluded. We were told that the event was being kept on an intimate scale and that the small scale and the inclusion of a bar service meant that only a few people could attend. The press was not to be among them.

We admire and cherish the Museum of Northern British Columbia enormously but remain convinced that excluding the press from such an important event was the wrong decision.

Clearly, there is a long list of people in line in front of the press when it comes to deciding who should be invited to attend such an event. But by excluding local newspapers, radio stations and television channels, local people were denied the chance to read, hear or see a locally produced first-hand account of what happened when the Dundas Collection completed its long journey home.

We believe all local media should have been invited to attend.

We have since been told that a reporter from the Globe and Mail and a film crew from APTN was allowed into the event on Thursday: the media ban apparently only impacted local journalists.

By excluding the local media, local people were denied a chance to hear a locally-produced story about some of the benefactors who purchased items at the recent auction and who graciously allowed the collection to remain intact and exhibited to Canadians.

Local people were denied a first-hand locally produced account of the comments and emotions shared by chiefs and elders as they gazed upon artifacts that had been fashioned by their ancestors.

And local people were denied a locally-produced chance to share in a historic moment.

Future generations were denied the chance to leaf through archived local papers to re-live this important moment.

Only the hundred or so people with invitations to be in the room go to experience what we have since learned was an emotional and proud moment. Only they got to hear the words of wisdom uttered by the elders.

We have since spoken at length with representatives from the museum board and explained why we think the media should have been allowed to witness the event.

We are confident that similar future events will be handled differently.

There is no doubt that the museum is an incredibly important local institution – one that is important on the national and world stage - and one that we would love to work with more effectively in the future.

But, regardless of how future events might be conducted, we cannot help but feel regret that local readers, viewers and listeners were not able to find out what happened at last week’s event – one of the most important museum events seen here in decades- from local media sources. It was a moment in history that will not be repeated.

Much anticipated collection to make debut in Prince Rupert Friday

The Dundas Collection, a treasure trove of North Coast First Nations artifacts will be on display starting Friday at the Museum of Northern BC. The exhibition will run through until April 14th.

The Daily News provided full details on the collection and the history behind it in the Wednesday edition of the paper.

TREASURED ARTIFACTS RETURN FOR NORTH COAST EXHIBITION
By James Vassallo
The Daily News
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Page one

Considered by many to be the finest collection of First Nation’s art in existence, the multi-million dollar Dundas Collection will be unveiled at the Museum of Northern B.C. this week.

“We went up and met with (Hereditary Chiefs and Elders) in Lax Kw’alaams in the fall and we were impressed with their messaging that the first place the exhibit should open should be at the Museum of Northern B.C. and on the traditional territory of the Tsimshian,” said Grant Hughes, director, Curatorial Services Branch, Royal B.C. Museum. “It’s going to be marvelous for everybody up North to take a look at.”

The collection — much of which was given up as part of Metlakatla’s conversion to Christianity by Anglican missionary William Duncan — had been part of a longstanding dispute between First Nations, who argue the cultural artifacts were expropriated, and the family of the Rev. Robert James Dundas who had obtained the artifacts from Duncan after visiting the missionary in October 1863. The artifacts, most of which had belonged to Tsimshian Grand Chief Paul Legaic, were auctioned off at Sotheby’s in October 2006 by Dundas’ great-grandson.

“This collection has got tremendous significance because of what we call the providence or the known age of the collection, (because) of where it was collected in 1863 and the fact that it has been brought back in more or less a completed constituent group to the people of Canada and B.C to take a look at,” said Hughes. “The most significant pieces of that entire collection are grouped together in this exhibition.”

The Royal B.C. Museum is helping to facilitate the tour of the collection which begins with an event on Thursday by invitation only due to limited exhibit space. However, the public will have access to the collection beginning on Friday and it will then stay at the museum until April 14.

“The first thing that we would do obviously is check with the local First Nations to look at what the appropriate protocols would be,” said Hughes on preparations for the exhibit. “The artifacts have been condition reported — sort of checked over from a conservation point of view — and transported up to Prince Rupert for the opening and blessing on Thursday afternoon.”

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.

Coming soon, to a museum quite near you!

The Dundas collection is coming to Northwestern BC, the recently purchased artifacts from a New York auction house, will stop at the Museum of Northern BC for six weeks from March 1 to April 14th before they move the Royal BC Museum in Victoria for an extended stay until July 4th.

The Dundas collection as it became known as was acquired in 1863 by the Rev. Robert James Dundas during a stop at Metlakatla. The hereditary chiefs of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw'Alaams and Metlakatla agreed that the travelling exhibit of this collection should begin its journey in the Northwest and asked the Museum of Northern BC to host the opening of the collection.

When the collection came up for bid in October of 2006 it became the focus of a concentrated approach to making sure that a number of the items could be returned to Canada, with numerous participants pooling their money to reclaim as many of the artifacts as possible.

The Royal British Columbia Museum offered up the following press release to announce the touring dates for this very important part of Birtish Columbia history.


Dundas Collection coming to British Columbia
VICTORIA, BC, Jan. 9 /CNW/

- A collection of significant First Nationsartifacts purchased at a New York auction last fall is coming to BC forexhibition this spring.

The first stop for the Dundas Collection of Pacific Northwest FirstNations art will be the Museum of Northern BC, located in the traditionalterritory of the Tsimshian First Nations. The collection will be at the PrinceRupert museum, March 1 - April 14. Then it moves to the Royal BC Museum,April 27 - July 4.

The 36 artifacts to be exhibited on behalf of nine owners are the mostsignificant and spectacular items from the Dundas Collection, and includetwo 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 OldMetlakatla, near present-day Prince Rupert, was auctioned by Sotheby's inOctober 2006.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to take a leadership role inreturning this historic collection to Canada," says James Easton, whorepresents the owner of the largest group of artifacts. "Very rarely does achance present itself to make a contribution of this importance to FirstNations and Canadian culture, and we are honoured to be part of it. We arelooking forward to the opening celebration in Prince Rupert and toparticipating in future exhibitions in other Canadian cities."

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

"We are honoured to be hosting this exhibition and assisting with thetour," says RBCM CEO Pauline Rafferty. "This is a superb and significantcollection of First Nations artifacts. The generosity of the people whopurchased these items in the name of preserving Canadian history isastounding."

Representatives from RBCM and Museum of Northern BC have worked closelywith chiefs and elders of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw' Alaams andMetlakatla to develop this exhibition.

"The hereditary chiefs of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw' Alaamsand Metlakatla agreed that the travelling exhibit of this collection shouldbegin in Tsimshian territory, where these important cultural pieces originatedand where our children and elders would be the first to see them," saysspokesperson James Bryant. "The owners of the pieces agreed to our request,and we appreciate that very much."

For Susan Marsden, curator of the Museum of Northern BC, "it is truly anhonour to have been asked by the hereditary chiefs to host the opening exhibitof this collection in their territory. The Museum of Northern BC is alsograteful to the owners of the collection for the privilege of exhibiting theseexceptional Tsimshian works of art. The carved spoon we purchased at theSotheby's auction in New York - with financial help from the Royal BC Museum -will also travel with this collection."

For the latest Royal BC Museum information, visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.caor call (250) 356-7226.