New objects showcase Native American ceremonial music

As guests enter MIM’s United States / Canada Gallery, two new objects are especially hard to miss: a striking eleven-foot totem pole and large box drum on display at the Northwest Coast and Plateau exhibit. Commissioned from master carvers Calvin Hunt and John Livingston, this Kwakwaka’wakw totem pole and box drum set include family crests in the form of primordial beings that come to life through music, dance, and song. Both objects illustrate the central role of music in Native American ceremonial settings.

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