On the exterior of the Multiversity Galleries at the Museum of Anthropology, a glass display case reveals the ‘Blended Traditions’ exhibit – a look into the intersection of cultures through artworks created by Coast Salish artists. One of the works, a 2010 Canadian Olympic Hockey jersey, hangs on the left side of the display. What’s notable about this jersey is that the maple leaf crest is layered with an intricate design that incorporates symbols of Indigenous cultures, including the thunderbird. Designed by Musqueam artist Debra Sparrow, the jersey is described as being representative of the relationship between Musqueam and Nike, who collaborated with Sparrow to create the jersey for the Olympics. Hanging beside it is a serigraph titled Manawanui, created by Musqueam artist Susan Point, which displays a circular emblem with a lizard and a stingray surrounded by wind and ocean. Point’s artwork is inspired by a connection she formed with the Māori, the Indigenous peoples of New Zealand, and combines motifs from both Musqueam and Māori culture to highlight the similar values between the two.
While all works in the ‘Blended Traditions’ exhibit feature cultural intersections of some kind, Debra Sparrow’s hockey jersey appears to focus on a more deliberate “blending” of cultures, as her statement emphasizes Nike’s agency in forming a relationship with Musqueam. This statement evokes thoughts about colonial relations, and makes me wonder if Sparrow intends to criticize Canadian culture’s tendency to appropriate Indigenous cultures. I recognize that my perception of this manufactured relationship is likely the result of learning about colonial history in school. On the other hand, Susan Point’s screen printed piece appears to highlight a more mutual relationship between the two intersecting cultures – one that’s formed by commonality rather than because of proximity.
When viewing the two artworks along with the other pieces in the ‘Blended Traditions’ exhibit, there appears to be a cultural gradient in the way they have been arranged by the museum. On the left are Sparrow’s jersey and a Squamish snowboard (reminiscent of Canadian sports culture), in the center are Point’s pieces and a spool-like sculpture, and on the right are various pottery and stonehead works (evoking Indigenous cultures). With this spectral arrangement, the museum appears to be juxtaposing the different crossroads that exist between different cultures (especially with Sparrow and Point’s pieces hanging side by side). I notice that my familiarity with the “blended” cultures at the left end of the display is what draws me to the exhibit as a whole. Perhaps Nike’s deliberate relationship with Musqueam is as deliberate as the museum’s decision to situate an art piece that’s more recognizable for certain viewers, in order to serve as a bridge into the other intersecting cultures in the display.