The Living Lands gallery examines traditional values and
contemporary lives of indigenous peoples. Combining historic
collections with new acquisitions, the gallery moves across the
deserts of Australia, to the coasts of Pacific North America and
northern Japan, and over the high plateau of Tibet to the North
American Arctic. For the indigenous peoples who call these places
home, these are the lands of their ancestors and the foundation of
their cultures.
Above: Figures and camp dogs made by
Australian Aboriginal artist Wally Pwerle.
Click on any of the images below to see a larger version of the
object and find out more about it.
Marking the Land
On entering the gallery visitors will encounter four gateway
objects which stand as entry points to the four different sections
of the gallery. The Nisga’a memorial pole from British Columbia was
brought to Scotland in 1929; the figures and camp dogs made by
Australian Aboriginal artist Wally Pwerle were purchased in 2008.
The Tibetan Prayer Wheel House and Inuksuk were
commissioned and built in the gallery.
Landscapes and Peoples
The gallery is divided into four sections. Each section uses the
Museum’s collections to explore the culture of indigenous
communities in a different region of the world.
Land of Dreamings
For Australia’s Aboriginal peoples, the lands in which they live
were mapped and created by their ancestors in the Dreaming.
Highlighting the importance of knowing the land and managing its
resources, this section also explores the ways in which
communities’ lands are layered with meanings.
Waterways and Lifeways
The traditional lands of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific
Northwest of North America and the Ainu peoples of northern Japan
are lush coastal and wooded areas. The arts displayed show the
vitality of these cultures, and the rich artistic expression common
to both.
On the ‘Roof of the World’
The Tibetan Plateau is the highest inhabited region on earth.
For Tibetans, it is a sacred land where Buddhism remains central to
their lives. Displays reveal traditional aspects of Tibetan life,
whether lived on the move through pilgrimage, nomadic herding and
trade, or in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.
Northern Lands
The North American arctic and sub-arctic are areas of extreme
temperature fluctuation and traditional life involved adapting and
moving with the seasons. Exquisitely crafted clothing reveals local
identities and skilled use of resources. Masks and sculpture embody
the beliefs that relate to respect for animals and detailed
knowledge of the natural world.
Interactives
Developed for a family audience, children and adults together
will be able to watch specially commissioned videos relating the
making the Tibetan Prayer Wheel House and the partnership project
with the Tlicho nation. Children can enjoy hands-on experiences
making prayer flags to take home, exploring arctic materials
through touch, and discovering the many (and sometimes surprising)
uses of an Australian aboriginal shield.
Above: Tibetan Prayer Wheel House.