Museum of Civilisation Part 2

The exhibition in the First People's Hall is absolutely fascinating and our first real opportunity to learn something about the Aborigines and their place in today's world. Aspects of cultural identity are explored through four themes: the diversity of Aboriginal cultural expression; how the Aboriginal presence manifests itself within present-day Canada; the adaptation of traditional lifestyles to different environments across Canada; and the impact of the arrival and settlement of Europeans over the last 500 years. It seems to me that there has been a resurgence of pride in being members of the First Peoples and a resurgence of traditions and of native art transformed with a modern eye.

In this painting of Parliament Hill from the River Ottawa the artist has added a tipi with Aboriginal People where they would have camped.

I enjoyed this about the origin of place names.

I really enjoyed reading the different traditional stories of creation told by the varying tribes and especially Mi'kmaq Hereditary Chief Stephen Augustine who recounted the beginning of the world in the Creation Stories Theatre film.

Sky Woman -  part of the Iroquois Creating legend.

The Turtle -  part of the Iroquois Creation legend.

The birth of good and evil.

The story of Sky Woman's descent to earth continues with the birth of Sky Woman's daughter. Sky Woman's daughter gives birth to twin sons.

Even prior to their birth, these two sons are in conflict. The good twin is born in the natural way, while his evil brother, jealous of his sibling's being born first, pushes himself out his mother's side. The birth of the twins marks the beginning of the battle of good and evil on earth. The brothers grow quickly and begin to fill the world with their creations. One creates all that is good and useful to humans, while the other is destructive, and creates all that is bad. Eventually the good twin defeats his evil brother, and banishes him to a pit under the earth. From this pit the evil twin sends emissaries that continue to bring evil into the world.

A tipi made of bark.

A tipi made of hide.

Items traded at trading posts.

At the river end of the Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization is a dome rising seven stories above the granite floor. Nineteen metres (62 feet) in diameter, the dome is adorned with the striking abstract painting Morning Star, the work of Dene Suline artist Alex Janvier. With the assistance of his son Dean, Janvier began painting in June 1993 and finished in September the same year. Morning Star covers 418 square metres (4,500 square feet). Janvier spent almost 4 months flat on his back doing this.

The title Morning Star refers to the morning star as a guide or a means of finding direction. Janvier explains:

"My people had used the morning star as a guide light in the early mornings of the winter hours. They would leave camp... maybe 4 o'clock in the morning and head in some direction... According to the stars in the sky, and especially that one, they pretty well have an idea the direction that they are going to."

Of Morning Star, and of his work in general, Janvier has said, "I am painting and I am also telling the story of the way things happened to me and to my tribe and to my people and it's a true story."

Morning Star - It is absolutely beautiful!

As part of the celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee there is a display of the Queen's Beasts - 10 heraldic figures representing the Queen's genealogy.

There is an absolutely fabulous Children's Museum in Canada's Museum of Civilisation. It has been developed around a central theme - The Great Adventure - and gives children the opportunity to travel the world. It is a really hands-on, inquiry-based learning experience.

I got the opportunity to role-play being an Ulster Bank official!

Canada Hall occupies most of the Museum's third level. It is presented as a "streetscape" and invites the visitor to stroll through hundreds of years of Canadian history beginning with the arrival of the Vikings, the first non-aboriginal people known to have set foot on what is now Canadian soil. The journey starts on the East Coast around 1000AD and then moves westward through time, following Canada's development from coast to coast. Along the way we learn about the various waves of immigration that arrived in Canada, the resources and opportunities that drew the newcomers, the discrimination and hardship that some encountered and the contributio all immigrants have made to their new country.

It was absolutely amazing - you would really believe that you were outside exploring a town.

There was also an exhibition on the Maya and several other special exhibitions but we gave them a miss because we wanted to explore outside which is also very beautiful with great views. It was then we noticed that a Gatineau School was having its prom and the meal was in the hall with the totems. It was all done up like a wedding. Proms seem to be the same everywhere - lots of very excited young people making lots of noise, girls tottering on heels that are too high, dressed in almost nothing to full length, boys looking a bit self-conscious in their formal attire, lots of proud parents taking photos of their little dears and generally smiles and laughter. To get a look about outside we had to make our way through the crowds - looking rather out of place in our holiday shorts.

A view of Parliament Hill from Canada's Museum of Civilisation.

Alexandra Bridge.

Part of the museum from outside.

A boat tour on the River Ottawa.

The Zen Garden at the museum.

A simulated waterfall.

Waterfall from the other side.

We had a fantastic time at Canada's Museum of Civilisation - it is possibly the best museum I have ever been in apart, I suppose, from Te Papa in Wellington and of course The Galeries of Justice in Nottingham where the costumed interpreters are so good!!