From Library Journal
The Heiltsuk-speaking Band is a First Nation group living at Bella Bella on the central coast of British Columbia. Heirs to a rich artistic legacy, the Heiltsuk are profiled here through an important, albeit little-known, collection at the Royal Ontario Museum gathered between 1899 and 1906 by a missionary based at Bella Bella. The well-documented items provide a revealing survey of Northwest Coast material culture. Black, a doctoral candidate at the University of Victoria, illustrates the resourcefulness of the Heiltsuk in adapting to Euro-Canadian cultural intrusion. Also illustrated are non-Native collecting practices, ceremonial and social activities, the work of five Bella Bella carvers, and considerable detail about ornaments and implements that vividly describe the lives of their makers and users. An exemplary scholarly production well recommended for subject collections.?Paula A. Baxter, NYPL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
The art of the Heiltsuk Nation, which lies on the Northwest Coast and includes the works of seven original Heiltsuk-speaking tribes, is presented in a fine collection of Canadian Heiltsuk works. Cultural insights are gathered from this excellent presentation of photos of pieces, recommended for any serious art library including a strong gathering of Native pieces. -- Midwest Book Review
