Another India CAMBRIDGE—On display until April 22, 2018, the Museum of Cambridge is presenting an exhibition about India’s indigenous Adivasi population. This marginalized people number nearly 100 million. Often described as “primitive,” their culture, history, and heritage have received little attention or recognition. Another India unveils objects from the museum’s collection as well as works by contemporary roles of the British Empire and colonization, and it reveals a very different India, far from the commonplace clichés and stereotypes. These artworks also express notions of identity, diversity, and belonging. Finally, the exhibition looks at the ways these objects were acquired within a colonial context, whether as gifts, in equitable trades, or otherwise. A Naga headhunting ornament, objects associated 52 RIGHT: Painted box. Probably by the Heiltsuk artist Captain Carpenter. Northwest Coast. Late 19th century. © The Trustees of the British Museum. of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University Adivasi sculptors. In doing so, it examines the with the Taj Mahal, and a snake charmer’s fl ute are ABOVE: Standing figure. Culture uncertain, Northwest Coast. 19th century. Wood. © The trustees of the British Museum. TOP LEFT: Monkey skull with coif. Konyak Naga, Nagaland, India. Collected and donated by J. H. Hutton. Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Cambridge, inv. 1950.679. FAR LEFT: Equestrian figure, ghoda. Uppalagarh, Rajasthan, India. Terracotta. H: 61 cm. Collected by Maya Unnithan, 1987. Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Cambridge, inv. 1988.206. LEFT: Elephant with howdah holding a deity. Bastar or Kondagaon, India. Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Cambridge, inv. Z 20345. among the many noteworthy pieces on display. Where the Thunderbird Lives LONDON—For the fi rst time in its history, the British Museum celebrates the cultural resistance of the native peoples of the Pacifi c Northwest Coast of the Americas. The states of Alaska and Washington and the province of British Columbia are the cradle of the Tlingit, The Haida, and the Nisga’a, among many other peoples. Wide beaches, deep inlets, snow-capped mountains, and dense evergreen forests characterize this vast area. Titled Where the Thunderbird Lives: Cultural Resilience on the Northwest Coast of North America, the exhibition puts special emphasis on the tradition of the Thunderbird, a legendary creature and a symbol of power for many of the region’s cultures. It is linked to the past, present, and future of these peoples, whose cultures are still very much alive. The objects are presented chronologically and according to area of origin. It opens with 2,500-year-old stone tools and ancient weapons. These are followed by historic period art objects that bear witness to the innovative practices and the economic adaptations that these prosperous communities put into place following the arrival of Europeans in the eighteenth century. The peoples of the Northwest Coast have maintained their cultural identity and their way of life in a world that is perpetually changing around them. Their cultures and their artistic patrimonies express powerful values and traditions. One of these was the potlatch, an important prestige event that involved the transfer of wealth, and several of the objects in the installation relate to this tradition. At its end, the exhibition invites the visitor to examine and evaluate his own identity and capacity for cultural resistance in these times of rampant globalization. Where the Thunderbird Lives will be on view until August 27, 2017. MUSEUM NEWS RIGHT: Spindle whorl. Salish, Vancouver. Mid 19th century. © The Trustees of the British Museum.
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