The visit of MOA (Museum of Anthropology) gives me the opportunity to have a closer look to the indigenous culture. All the exhibitions contains history and culture. The most rememberable artwork that I cannot forget is Dionne Paul’s Her First Day of School and His First Day of School which exhibit two images with two children, a indigenous girl and a boy. The name of the artwork “Her First Day of School and His First Day of School” tend to relate to the element of the excitement of the first day of school. However, the black and white images demonstrates both of the elements which are joy and miserable because the uniform they weared are the residential school uniform. A place that oppressed the freedom of indigenous children for many years. The use of children’s smiles and the residential uniform gives audience a very strong visual impact. I believe that every visitor who sees this picture and knows about the residential system in Canada, cruel and anti-humanity will feels the powerful meaning of this artwork that Dionne Paul tries to examine.
The other exhibition that I looked into it is GyaaGang. It means “house front pole” in Haida language. Haida are a nation and ethnic group native to, or otherwise associated with. What truly gives me impression is the article’s description of how Haida people determine to protect their traditional and culture.When Haida’s population reduced in mid-1800s to 1915, the Haida people are strengthening in numbers once again in order to move to the future. In today, “the Haida culture is not simply song and dance, graven images……” as the description says, “It’s all of these things and then… awakening on Haida Gwaii.” Today, Haida society continues to produce a robust and highly stylized art form, a leading component of Northwest Coast art. Compare to “Her First Day of School and His First Day of School” by Dionne Paul, although both of the artwork demonstrates the idea of the importance of remember the history, the Haida culture truly impress me with their determination of protecting their own culture. They brings their history to the modern society and carry forward. And after the brief description of the exhibition, the author writes that “It’s about being confronted by the great storms of winter and trying to look after this precious place.”