My Introduction To Northwest Coast Native American Art
My Introduction To Northwest Coast Native American Art
I had lived in Vancouver very briefly as a child and it was during that time when I was first exposed to the art of the Northwest Coast Native American Indians. It was the towering colorful totem poles out in Stanley Park that everyone gazed at with wonder and appreciation. It took about 30 years later during a return trip to Vancouver when Northwest Coast Native American art caught my eyes again.I was in Vancouver for business and landed at the city's new airport terminal. One could not help but notice the huge native carvings near the arrivals area. Later on during my stay, I decided to wander around in the Gastown district. It was in these shops and galleries in Gastown where I fell in love with Northwest Coast Native American art. I saw many wonderful wooden plaques representing different animals. There were also art prints, paintings, masks, wooden bowls and even furnature with these animals either painted or carved right into the pieces.The colors and designs, which might be considered a bit exaggerated to non-native eyes, were striking as well as bold. I knew at that time that I wanted to include some of this magnificent artwork on my walls back at home. So I bought two plaque carvings and carried them home like newly found treasure.Historically, the native Indians who lived along the river valleys and coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest were all hunters and gatherers. The region was blessed with abundant resources from both the seas and forests. These people captured in their artwork the animals they hunted and observed. These included bears, killer whales, eagles, ravens, salmons, wolves, hummingbirds and even frogs. Chiefs and mythical characters important in their legends such as thunderbirds were also included as art subjects.Northwest Coast Native American art is just only recently gaining some major attention in some galleries and museums around the world. Compared to other native arts such as Inuit (Eskimo), exposure of Northwest Coast Native American art is still rather limited to the northwest coast of Canada and the United States.This form of artwork is virtually unknown to most parts of the world including many regions of North America. This will hopefully change as more people from around the world travel to Vancouver. The future winter Olympics in 2010 up in Whistler, BC will also have a positive impact on the region's Native Indian art. I personally believe that Northwest Coast Native American art has a lot of potential to be internationally recognized and accepted.Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca), an online gallery specializing in Inuit and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.
What You Need to Know About – Native Americans and Gambling-Gambling
What You Need to Know About - Native Americans and Gambling
The term 'Gambling' is synonymous to 'Gaming'. Gaming or Gambling is deeply rooted in the life of Native Americans. If we probe into the history of life of Native Americans and gambling, we find that the kind of gambling that used to be there was strikingly different from the gambling in today's era. The literal meaning of the term 'gambling' did not apply in those days. The games were less of the play in which someone wins and the other loses but were more of the auspicious ceremonies that were a part of every Native American's life.The Native Americans used to play games in an amicable fashion to have a joyful pastime. They were not so much concerned in framing the winning strategies but their chief purpose was to enjoy. Besides amusement Native Americans had some superstitions attached to their games too. For instance they were of the opinion that the force or power that guides and determines the result if their game is the force that regulates the entire cosmos. This force is responsible for the events in the life of all living beings as well as for the course of the Mother Nature. Thus it was sort of mandatory for them to play. It was also thought that not playing the games might offend the guiding force.But this simplicity of the tradition was mutilated and reformed by the Europeans. The Europeans enclosed these austere games under the ambit of 'gambling' where the men who play are not participants in any ceremony but are 'gamblers'. These gamblers put something at stake to get something more in return. Thus for the Europeans these games had just one meaning and interpretation- gamble i.e. to win or to lose.Time has changed and so the people, the styles and reasons to play games, the awareness of these games?all have taken a new dimension. The games that used to be modes of entertainment now have a special and significant contribution to their economy. The tribal government of California and some tribes there has signed or has agreed to certain compacts. These compacts are meant to provide sharing of money in the form of revenue with the other Indian and non-gaming tribes. The revenues so collected by the tribal government are invested in the general welfare of the tribal people like building houses for them, education, health and hygiene, water and food facilities etc. The IGRA or Indian Gaming Regulation Act plays an important role in this area. For it is meant to monitor the manner in which the revenues obtained from the gaming industry's profits, are spent by the tribal governments. The gaming industry is acknowledged as the most flourishing Indian economic enterprise available to the Native Americans. The consequences trickle down further as nearly 2.7 billion dollar proceeds were utilized in paying federal taxes, 1.8 million is for the state income taxes and 2.8 billion is handed over to social security. Not just this but the revenue has also helped tremendously in creating new jobs and so settling employment for the unemployed.Thus the surrounding communities and their small economies are also largely benefited by this industry.However, there always remains a threat of the Native American people especially youngsters falling in the trap of several abuses like drug abuse, alcohol and the like.To alleviate this menace the tribal governments and also the media have arranged several programs that educate the Native as well as the non-Native Americans of the perils of gambling addiction.The gaming is profoundly embedded in the life of Native Americans. Its maintenance and continuance helps the younger generations in knowing the tastes and richness of the older ones. The gaming is so well nurtured and kindled by the Native Americans like a mother cares and encourages her child throughout her life.Suresh gupta writes about native americans and gambling topics. Learn more at http://www.nativeamericanbets.com.