The Early History gallery of the Fort Steele Heritage Town Museum includes displays about the Ktunaxa Nation who had occupied the area for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans. The map shown above shows the traditional Ktunaxa territory. According to the museum display: “Evidence of human existence in our area dates back … Continued
John Gerbrand Wyers (1871-1960) lived in White Salmon, Washington, where he had a hardware and general merchandise store. He purchased basketry, particularly works by the local Klikitat people and encouraged Indian weavers. His interest in Native art was the result of his relationship with Margaret “Maggie” Underwood Howell (Klickitat). The two were domestic partners, but … Continued
One of the displays in the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, California, is entitled Sacred Earth and subtitled Understanding our past and honoring cultures that thrive today. The first section of this display looks at American Indian cultures between 16,000 years ago and 8,000 years ago. According to the Museum display: “Some archaeologists believe … Continued
The Great Plains is the huge area in the central portion of the North American continent which stretches from the Canadian provinces in the north, almost to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Mississippi River in the east. This is an area which contains many … Continued
The Maya flourished in the area south of the Valley of Mexico. The Maya reached their peak of urban development during the period which archaeologists call the Classis Period which dates from about 250 CE until about 900 CE. On the Maya calendar, the Classic Period begins in baktun 8 (a baktun is a period … Continued
The Presby House Museum in Goldendale, Washington, has three display cases filled with Indian artifacts. These included beaded items (moccasins, gloves, bags), baskets, and a variety of stone artifacts (pestles, mortars, projectile points). The items are displayed with no explanation of tribal histories or aboriginal use. Most of the items were probably trade items made … Continued
Before the European invasion, led by the Spanish in the eighteenth century, Southern California Native Americans lived in small villages of up to 200 inhabitants. In general, California Indians have been classified as hunters and gatherers, meaning that they tended to obtain food from hunting and from gathering wild plants. Often evidence of agriculture—the deliberate … Continued
Archaeologists use the term Mesoamerica in referring to Mexico and the adjacent areas of Central America which were the home to Native American civilizations prior to the Spanish invasion. During the time generally known as the Classic Period in Mesoamerica, the region was characterized by several complex cultural systems known as state societies. For Central … Continued
A special exhibit at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington, featured The Inuit Art of Povungnituk. Povungnituk is a village on the eastern shores of Hudson Bay in Arctic Quebec. A portion of this exhibit was dedicated to the Povungnituk Print Shop. The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture Following World … Continued
The Inuit (sometimes called Eskimo) are one of the aboriginal peoples of the Arctic. A special exhibit at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington, featured The Inuit Art of Povungnituk. According to the display: “In the 1950s, encouraged by a local priest, a group of Inuit artists in the village of … Continued
