GOING TO THE POTLATCH - ARTIST PROOF #1/5

GOING TO THE POTLATCH - ARTIST PROOF #1/5Edition Date: January 1985 Artist: Roy Henry Vickers Medium: Artist Proof Serigraph Image Size: 20 1 2" x 29 1 2" Edition Size: 5 Artist Proofs Story The landfall in this image is Friendly Cove on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The lowlands of the Hesquiat Peninsula are in the background. The season is winter, a time of feasting and potlatches on the Northwest Coast. I dream of what it must have been like for northern chiefs to be invited to

Story

The landfall in this image is Friendly Cove on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The lowlands of the Hesquiat Peninsula are in the background. The season is winter, a time of feasting and potlatches on the Northwest Coast. I dream of what it must have been like for northern chiefs to be invited to attend a ceremony so far from home. 

In this case, the occupants of the canoe are attending an important celebration on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and have travelled from the Tsimshian or Haida nations as indicated by the style of dress and the shape of the canoe. The chief who has extended the invite must be important, because this canoe has travelled hundreds of miles of difficult coastline.

Such was the way of life on the coast. Some things were most necessary, and all the hardships were endured because you were GOING TO THE POTLATCH.