The Four Seasons

 In the far north, indigenous peoples made a living in the harshest of environments, with the whale as a key to that life- its oil provided fuel for warmth and its bones provided the frame for their homes.

Iroquois people in what is now Ontario lived in villages of long houses, harvesting the land.

There was a tradition of trade fairs- the meetings of tribes annually from distant places to socialize and engage in trade and diplomacy. Hence why buffalo robes might be found in places far from any buffalo, or why people of the great plains might have ocean shells in their possession. 

Drumming is a longstanding tradition among First Nations, with different designs from different tribes.

Here we have items like lacrosse sticks at left, and bow and arrows at right. In the background is the morning star motif- an important symbol in indigenous art and culture.

This exquisitely beautiful copper dress caught my eye. It is a contemporary item, done in 1989 by Dorothy Grant.

Out beyond the hall there are some large open spaces. This one is occupied by four paintings by the same artist, Alex Janvier, a Dene artist still living in Cold Lake, Alberta, one of Canada's most esteemed artists. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter are a thematic set, done from 1978-81. Janvier works in an abstract style influenced strongly by his roots, and had a retrospective of his works several years ago at the National Gallery of Canada. Normally I don't like abstract art, but I love his work.