Jay Simeon (Haida/Blackfoot), “Origin of the U-Form Bracelet,” 2004
sterling silver, 1” x 6” (photo by Kenji Nagai, courtesy of a private collection)
Years ago, my parents gave me a necklace they had bought at a small shop in the B.C. Interior. At the time, I knew little about Northwest Coast Indigenous art and wondered if it might be a knock-off. I wore it from time to time, but felt uneasy, wondering if it might be seen as cultural appropriation.
That necklace came to mind as I read Understanding Northwest Coast Indigenous Jewelry, a gem of a book written by Alexander Dawkins, co-owner of Vancouver’s Lattimer Gallery, which specializes in Indigenous art.
The book, published recently by Greystone Books, is engagingly written and beautifully illustrated. It’s split into three parts that sequentially explore the jewelry, well-known artists and the region's complex cultural histories.
The book's structure is effective and has several helpful features, including a glossary, a map that highlights significant communities from Oregon to Alaska, and answers to common questions.
What I like best, however, are the labelled images that help demystify the iconography.
Consider one example, eagles and the mythical thunderbird, which are easy to confuse on a small piece of jewelry.
Eagles and thunderbirds both have hooked beaks, but the thunderbird’s beak is longer, Dawkins explains. And if you see teeth, it’s likely a thunderbird.
Dawkins also offers insight into the cultural meanings of common motifs, though he points out these can vary from community to community. The eagle is typically affiliated with friendship and peace, for instance, while the thunderbird is a symbol of power, change and the sky.
Fred Davis (Haida), “Moon and Its Universe,” 2011
pendant made from boxwood, ivory, turquoise, brass and abalone, 2.5” x 1” (photo by Kenji Nagai, courtesy of Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver)
Corrine Hunt, a Tlingit/Kwakwaka’wakw jeweller from Alert Bay, B.C., who has received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, explains in her foreword that many First Nations people wear jewelry to “show who they are.”
That’s because pieces can incorporate family crest symbols, usually passed down through matrilineal lines.
“Many will only wear motifs they have inherited,” says Hunt. “Others will wear whatever catches their fancy. Some wear only a few items, while others wear rings on every finger and bracelets up both arms.”
Gus Cook (Kwakwaka’wakw), “Octopus and Dzunukwa,” 2018
repoussé pendant in sterling silver and abalone, 2” x 1.5” (photo courtesy of Lattimer Gallery)
Dawkins says the jewelry's popularity is encouraging artists to challenge conventions.
“They’re reviving historical designs and presenting them in contemporary ways, they’re pushing the boundaries of long-established principles of design, they’re carving non-traditional materials, and they’re telling more complex stories,” he writes.
Which brings me back to my necklace. After reading the book, I think the leaf-shaped pendant is oxidized silver. It is signed on the reverse, RC, and while that artist is not one of the 50 listed in Dawkins' book, it suggests the piece is handcrafted.
I’m guessing the design is a salmon, with an overlaid humanoid face. Looked at one way, the salmon’s head seems to contain another smaller fish. Looked at the other way, its lower jaw becomes the neck of long-beaked bird. That’s a lot of content for something that’s just half an inch wide and two inches in length.
Thanks to this book, I feel more informed when looking at Northwest Coast Indigenous jewelry. And I've seen afresh something that has hung close to my heart over several decades. I wish I knew the full story and something about the person who made it. But that’s a mystery for another day. ■
Understanding Northwest Coast Indigenous Jewelry by Alexander Dawkins: Greystone Books, 2019.
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