Sunday, July 21, 2019

Ghosts

The level of detail on this model of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is extraordinary.


The gallery continues, exploring the diverse First Nations cultures that existed before contact with Europeans. One of the displays is a digital one- the scanning of four faces from what is now British Columbia, people who lived four thousand years ago. In a collaboration between archaeologists and the community, the remains of a family were examined, scanned, and brought to new life in a digital form before being returned to the community.


And here they are on screen. They blink, move, and breathe as you look at them. It's ghostly.


This canoe is much more recent. Todd Labrador of the Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw built this ocean going canoe in 2015 using traditional techniques. Some of his tools are displayed with it.


Today I leave off with a panel introducing what I'll show you tomorrow- another face of the past brought back to life through the collaboration of the local community and archaeologists.

32 comments:

  1. Wonderful craftsmanship in that canoe. It says much that the information board are in English and French, but not the languages of the First Nations people.

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  2. Very interesting information ....
    The canoe is very beautiful, is done with craftsmanship!
    Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981 ... I knew that!

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  3. That is such a gruesome way to kill the buffalo, but it also reveals much about the very astute nature of the First Nation's people that they were able to turn this rocky cliff to their advantage.

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  4. There is much of interest here for casual visitor and student of anthropology alike.

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  5. ...what a society they had!

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  6. The buffalos really are amazing!

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  7. Good exhibits of the past...which is what museums do. And a great canoe, a craftsman's name attached a well!

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  8. @John: some displays feature all three.

    @Ella: it was a good choice.

    @Rosemary: it shows resourcefulness.

    @Marie: definitely.

    @David: indeed.

    @Tom: they did!

    @Francisco: thanks!

    @Iris: that they are.

    @Barbara: quite true.

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  9. I've been to Buffalo Jump. As we were leaving the centre, a native group started drumming. It was quite something.

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  10. Survival. Still, the buffalo going to their death is sad, haunting.

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  11. A post full of interesting things, William. Super!

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  12. Pretty amazing what they done with scanning to show us people from the distant past.

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  13. Those ghostly faces are very striking. I can't imagine being on the ocean in a canoe.

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  14. That exhibit must be really amazing especially to see the recreated faces of that family move.

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  15. I'm so impressed with this important scientific and social expression of your country's excellence

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  16. Impressive indeed and so well done.

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  17. Wow what a beautifully made canoe!!

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  18. The canoe is pretty impressive and beautiful.

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  19. I am impressed with that canoe. You would be hard pressed to find people today, to make these.

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  20. Another informative, well organized post. Thank you.

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  21. Wow! The level of detail in that Smashed Head buffalo jump is indeed extraordinary. I enjoyed that canoe, too. :-)

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  22. Wouldn’t that be more buffalo dead than they could eat before they were rancid?

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  23. That buffalo jump! I’ve read about how they did this, but seeing this model ... well, it does exactly what the curators wanted it to do ..... I would enjoy seeing the “living” people too... this exhibit is remarkable. Thank you for sharing it.

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  24. love the boats ... any sort of them ... i bet these were great for them ... i would have loved to learn the craft of making them. ( ;

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  25. How fascinating, the buffalo sculpture is hard hittng and the recreated faces are wonderful so is the canoe:)

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  26. @Anvilcloud: that is something I'd like to see.

    @Maywyn: it is the case.

    @RedPat: thank you.

    @Jeanie: indeed.

    @Red: it is, yes.

    @Sharon: I've been on the ocean only in a ferry crossing a strait.

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  27. @Beatrice: I think so.

    @Cloudia: me too.

    @Italiafinlandia: indeed.

    @Happyone: definitely.

    @Bill: it certainly is.

    @Michelle: it is an art.

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  28. @Joanne: you're welcome.

    @DJan: I know the feeling.

    @Janey: they'd have had techniques for preserving.

    @Sallie: you're welcome.

    @Beth: thank you.

    @Rosie: I agree.

    @Klara: that it is.

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