Transitions of Museum Exhibition through the Examples of Canadian Northwest Coast First Nations and Hokkaido Ainu

Abstract

Museums which own ethnographical collections have undergone a big change for their exhibitions and activities since the later twentieth century, especially after 1970's. Processes of collecting artifacts have been strongly challenged, and repatriation claimed by their original owners. And exhibits of indigenous cultures from viewpoint of dominant societies have been criticized and boycotted by indigenous peoples. Museums have not been played a role as only enough conservation of artifacts and explanation the culture in historic contexts. Today Indigenous peoples' idea have been reflected in museum activities, such as building partnerships between museums and indigenous communities, increasing of museums (and/or culture center) which operated by themselves in countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Then indigenous traditions have been represented as living part of contemporary societies as though the past. This paper looks at some examples of how Canadian museum exhibitions have been changing in relation to Northwest Coast First Nations, drawing on backgrounds such as social condition, indigenous activity, law, budget, and a trend of study. Beside this report intends to overview transition of exhibiting Ainu culture in Japan.