Graeme Teague Photography

Creation Myth 0067 - MOA at UBC

Caption: Creation Myth 0067 - MOA at UBC
Location: Vancouver, BC.
Copyright: © Graeme Teague 832-526-1123 gtphoto@shaw.ca
AGPix ID: AGPix_GrTePh23_1626
Digital Original
Comments: Creation Myth by world reknowned Haida carver/artist Bill Reid. Bill Reid Rotunda. Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Vancouver, Canada. MOA has the world’s largest collection of works by Haida artist Bill Reid. The Bill Reid Rotunda displays his famous sculpture The Raven and the First Men as well as some of his other works in gold, silver, argillite and wood. With the assistance of several other artists, Reid created this massive work out of a giant block of laminated yellow cedar, beginning in the fall of 1978, and took two years to complete, with work completing on April 1, 1980. It was commissioned by Walter and Marianne Koerner and unveiled by HRH the Prince of Wales in 1980. It depicts a moment in the ancestral past of the Haida people when Raven found the first humans in a clamshell on the beach. Raven and the First Men depicts the creation myth of the Haida people. According to the myth, the Raven, the Haida Trickster, wound up on Haida Gwaii's Rose Spit Beach. He was alerted by some sounds to a large clamshell that had little creatures dwelling inside, reluctant to emerge from their shell. With some coaxing from Raven using his beak, and their curiosity about the outside world, the beings emerged from the clamshell to become the first Haida people. Raven came to realize that the beings that emerged were only men. He grew bored of seeing them play and exploring the world. Raven attempted to find women for the men within the clam. Finding a chiton, he opened one up and found little women living within them. He brought the women to the men, and enjoyed watching them and their behavior. They began to elope and move across to the other parts of the island. Raven never grew bored again with the humans and their families around. For many years, this work was featured on the Canadian $20 dollar bill. Size: 1.88 m × 1.92 m (6 ft 2 in × 6 ft 4 in) GTPhoto is a wonderful knowledge/photo agency with all award winning photographers, authors, filmmakers, scientists & guides covering our world - PNW coastal native culture an absolute specialty.