George and Joanne MacDonald Northwest Coast Image Archive

The Bill Reid Centre's George and Joanne MacDonald Image Archive contains images of Northwest Coast First Peoples, their villages, and their visual and material belongings. Many of the images collected by the MacDonalds are not unique, and can be found in museums and archives around the world. Throughout his career, Dr. MacDonald sought to bring these important resources together under one roof with the intent of creating access for Northwest Coast First Nations, and in particular artists, whose passion for historic imagery and visual documentation of their cultural belongings he witnessed first-hand. The archive is a reflection of the MacDonalds' research interests, their careers in archaeology and anthropology, their many relationships in the field, and their deep respect and admiration of the diverse nations of the Northwest Coast.

Contributed by The Bill Reid Centre, Simon Fraser University.

Copyright and Terms of use

See individual items for detailed Copyright and Terms of use information. 

 

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Displaying 1441 - 1455 of 5804

Detail: Grizzly Bear

Tanu40-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1967
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: Detail of the grizzly bear's face from the base of the Plenty of Tliman Hides in This House frontal pole.

Detail: Grizzly Bear and Eagle

Tanu42-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1967
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: On the left, the Eagle from the Eagle Leg House frontal pole. On the right is the grizzly bear from the base of Plenty of Tliman Hides in This House frontal pole.

Detail: Grizzly Bear Face

SGangGwaay55-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1967
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: This mortuary pole had a carved grizzly bear with a cub between its legs and small human figures in its ears. It stood on the head of an unusual figure obscured by vegetation.

Detail: Grizzly Bear Mortuary

Kuuna16-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1972
Name(s): MacDonald, George F.
Description: Detail of the top figure from the pole featuring a large grizzly bear that is eating a boy.

Detail: Grizzly Bear Mortuary

SGangGwaay19-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1963
Description: A mortuary post with a grizzly bear with two human faces on its paws. The frontal plaque has fallen off, and there is plant growth in the grave box compartment.

Detail: Grizzly Bear Mortuary

SGangGwaay35-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1969
Name(s): MacDonald, George F.
Description: A mortuary post with a grizzly bear with two human faces on its paws.

Detail: Grizzly Memorial

Yan12-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1947
Name(s): Barbeau, Marius, 1883-1969
Description: A memorial pole with a raven at the top (with beak bent down), supported by a plain shaft, with a grizzly bear at the base.

Detail: Halibut Frontal Pole

Cumshewa27-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1900 to 1930
Description: Detail of the halibut frontal pole from a mortuary house.

Detail: Horned Owl

Tanu31-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1968
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: Detail of the head of the horned owl figure from the top of the Strong House frontal pole as it stood at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Detail: Horned Owl

Tanu32-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1968
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: Detail of the horned owl figure from the top of the Strong House frontal pole as it stood at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Detail: House That Makes a Noise Frontal Pole

Tanu04-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1947
Name(s): Barbeau, Marius, 1883-1969
Description: Detail of the base of the House That Makes a Noise frontal pole. The lowest crest features a killer whale with a human body devouring a seal.

Detail: House-Front-Blackfish

Gitsegukla21-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1923
Name(s): Barbeau, Marius, 1883-1969
Description: This image shows the face of the Blackfish, as well as the mythic person Gunarhnaesems, who is attached to the dorsal fin.

Detail: Interior Pole

SGangGwaay15-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1957
Description: At the back of the Raven House was an interior house post with a human figure embracing a hawk and a bear cub at the top, and a bear embracing a human figure at the base. Both the interior pole and the frontal pole from House 17 were removed to Victoria in 1957.

Detail: Killer Whale

Cumshewa14-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1968
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: Detail of the killer whale, the upper crest figure on this mortuary pole.

Detail: Killer Whale Face

Cumshewa06-Thumbnail Image.jpg
Date: 1968
Name(s): De Menil, Adelaide
Description: Detail of the base of the pole, showing the face of a killer whale.