Thursday, November 20, 2008

New Photos Showing Regalia



SHI Special Collections recently processed a collection of digital photos capturing views of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian regalia. The collection consists of seven CD-Rs that contain approximately 500 digital photographs which were taken at the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Celebration festival in 2004. The pictures in this collection were taken by a special team working to document and photograph Native regalia and the history behind specific regalia pieces. Participating individuals allowed their regalia to be photographed and then were interviewed about their regalia. The project was known as the Dance Regalia Documentary Project and was managed by Tlingit artist and weaver Clarissa Hudson. The project was sponsored by the Sealaska Heritage Institute and Artstream Cultural Resources, with additional funding provided by the Alaska Humanities Forum.

The pictures on our CD-Rs include individuals and families in various poses displaying/wearing their regalia. All individuals are identified and signed a waiver granting SHI rights to use these photographs for educational purposes. There are approximately 500 images and there were around 50 studio shoots, wherein either an individual or a group posed for photographs. Photographs were taken by Donna Foulke and Clarissa Hudson. A sample of these photos can be viewed online via SHI Special Collection’s webalbum. Additional information and more specific details about the Dance Regalia Documentary Project can be found via the project’s website, by clicking here.

All in all, SHI Special Collections is grateful to have these and other historic images. As a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the public, SHI Special Collections obtains images primarily by donation. If you or your family have old photographs you would be willing to donate please contact SHI’s archivist.

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