Geography
Naturally, the cultural area follows the northwestern coast of North America and slightly inland along the Nass, Skeena and Fraser rivers in British Columbia. The Coastal region is situated in a coastal rainforest and filled with inlets, fjords and archipelagos cut into steep rock that gives way to coastal mountains. The temperatures are moderate - the January mean is consistently above freezing, while the July mean is less than 18°C.
Language
Though most Indigenous peoples of the region now speak English as a primary language, the Northwest Coast exhibits the most diversity in language of all the cultural areas in Canada. Some languages spoken in this region are: Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Salishan.
Suggestions for your class:
Have Benjamin Young teach you basic Haida and have your class practice their greetings.
Have Benjamin Young teach you basic Haida and have your class practice their greetings.
Suggestions for your class:
For more stories based out of the Coastal region, try looking for books to read with your class and create activities out of them targeted for your students age group. Books to consider are "Nations of the Northwest Coast" by Amanda Bishop and "The Little Hummingbird" by internationally renowned Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahhulanaas. |
Art
Before European contact the most common medium Northwest Coast artisans used was wood but contemporary artists use paper, canvas, glass, and precious metals. If paint is made part of the product the most common colours are red and black, but yellow is sometimes part of the design.
Artists apply embellishments to tools, houses, baskets, clothing and items associated with the supernatural. Wood sculpture and painting, notably totem poles, are the most renowned features of Northwest Coast culture. The imagery evolved from nature to include bears, ravens, eagles, and humans or legendary creatures such as thunderbirds.
Artists apply embellishments to tools, houses, baskets, clothing and items associated with the supernatural. Wood sculpture and painting, notably totem poles, are the most renowned features of Northwest Coast culture. The imagery evolved from nature to include bears, ravens, eagles, and humans or legendary creatures such as thunderbirds.
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/5/0/115094769/published/diesing-freda.jpg?1511375645)
Suggestions for your class:
Discuss Haida artist Freda Diesing with students. She is a Haida woman and one of the very few women to carve totem poles. The Northwest Coast Community College also dedicated a school to her called "Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art."
Discuss Haida artist Freda Diesing with students. She is a Haida woman and one of the very few women to carve totem poles. The Northwest Coast Community College also dedicated a school to her called "Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art."