By Alyssa Peterson, UAS Intern
Title: Tlingit Art at the Portland Art Museum Recordings Collection, 1989
ID: MC/029
Primary Creator: Portland Art Museum
Other Creators: Sealaska Heritage Institute, Tlingit Indians.
Extent: 1.0 Boxes
Date Acquired: 00/00/1990
Subjects: Tlingit art.
In May 1989 prominent Tlingit elders, such as Austin Hammond, Jimmie George, Amy Marvin, Katherine Mills, and David Katzeek were invited to the Portland Art Museum to view and discuss the Tlingit art objects from the museum’s Axel Rasmussen Collection. The Axel Rasmussen Collection was obtained by the Portland Art Museum in 1948 and consists of Northwest Coast art items, many of Tlingit origin. The purpose of this gathering, or conference, was to gain a better understanding of the objects, both culturally and historically.
This collection is comprised of six VHS moving image recordings and seventeen audio recordings capturing the invited Tlingit elders reviewing the Tlingit from the Portland Art Museum’s the Axel Rasmussen Collection. The director of the Portland Art Museum, Dan Monroe, invited Austin Hammond (Daanawáak from the Raven / Luknaax.ádi clan), Jimmie George (Wóochx Kaduhaa from the Raven / Dakl’aweidí clan), Amy Marvin (Kooteen, from the Eagle / Chookaneidí clan), Katherine Mills (Yakwxwaan Tlaa from the Raven / T’akdeintaan clan), and David Katzeek (from the Eagle / Shangukeidí clan) to view and talk about certain items from the Axel Rasmussen Collection.
These recordings capture Tlingit speeches expressing their gratitude for being able to share their knowledge and stories, followed by a review of the art items. The conversations on these recordings are in the Tlingit with English languages.
Repository: Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives
Use Restrictions: Intellectual Properties Note: Since SHI adheres to the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, and since we desire to honor Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian traditional cultural belief that clans retain the intellectual property rights to clan stories or songs, patrons who use or study clan songs or stories are asked to credit clan ownership to stories and songs.
Acquisition Source: Portland Art Museum
Acquisition Method: The material in the collection was generated by the Portland Art Museum, which provided SHI with gratis copies in 1990 for SHI’s participation in the art review.
