During the trip to the Museum of Anthropology, I got to see many pieces of Indigenous art. There was one piece in particular that caught my eye. Located in the Multiversity Gallery, was an exhibit named This Song is a Museum by Peter Morin, a Tahltan First Nations. This work of art was made up of a drumstick made of rabbit fur and dipped in paint, and five drums, three round and two octagons, made of elk skin and dipped in black paint. The drumstick, as well as the drums hang from wires inside of a glass case. Each drum has its own unique splatter of black ink on the front. Morin explains that the piece is a visual recording of Hwieumten’s (Fred Roland) song, a Coast Salish singer. Morin tries to keep “the voice connected to the objects” and a memory of singing, which he believes the museum has a tendency to lose.
Indigenous works of art are important to BC because it helps us get a better understanding of the rich history of First Nations. Morin explains that “the Indigenous objects we see at MOA are all manifestations of cultural knowledge tied to living people, land, and cultures” because Indigenous art is more than just art. Each piece has a deeper meaning and is connected to First Nation peoples.
As a non-native observer, I was quite confused about what this piece was, until I read Morin’s explanation on the information card. You don’t need a great knowledge of Indigenous history to understand this piece, which shows how music is a great part of Tahltan peoples’ culture.