Haida Grammar. Reverend C. Harrison. From the Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada. Volume I, Section II: 1895.
Newspaper consists of the recto and verso of 2 pages (p. 1-4). It was published in Aiyansh on the Nass River in British Columbia in April 1895 and presents a missionary's perspective of regional First Nations traditions and current affairs of the day.
Young boy stands among bushes in snow, totel pole in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “WE Collison Totem on QCIsl."
Close up of a carved wooden rattle featuring one side which is in the shape of a sun with face.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “Medicine man’s rattle. One side representing The sun and the other side The Moon. For heading of Page 20 Medicine Man’s rattle, Haida, Q.C. Islands.”
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side to mark the burial of a Haida medicine man. Each figure has one arm up with a hand under or over the chin, while the other arm is down. Carved chiefly headdresses adorn each of their heads.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Q.C. Is.”
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side to mark the burial of a Haida medicine man. Each figure has one arm up with a hand under or over the chin, while the other arm is down. Carved chiefly headdresses adorn each of their heads.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Shaman’s grave”.
Two carved poles stand in foreground, a third smaller pole visible by wood structure in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "For heading of Page 12. Fin Back Whale Crest. [?] Totems, S.E. Alaska".
Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of wooden houses on right. Hills on shoreline visible in background.
Handwritten annotations on verso read: "West Coast QCIs."; "[Old?] Kassan Alaska."
Four women and one child stand on shore in foreground. Village buildings and totem poles (crest poles?) stand in background against forest.
Display of the tools of the Medicine Man: rattles, statues, hats (crowns), masks, spoons apron and body ornamentation.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “A medicine man’s outfit. Crowns of bear’s claws, aprons of skins adorned with carved charms of bone and ivory, also rattles. Would illustrate Chapt. XIII for no. 2”
Photograph depicts close-up of unidentified skeletal remains situated on the ground. Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “skeleton fallen from burial box at Masset QCIs. Remains were buried near original site”.
Hand coloured photograph of a cemetery in Gitxsan territory. Annotation on recto reads: "Indian Cemetery, Hazelton, BC."
This unpublished manuscript, authored by W.H. Collison and handwritten by Joyce Collison, comprises 29 identifiable chapters. Content of this manuscript appears to be focused upon the retelling of First Nations stories. The donor identified that this manuscript was intended for publication but was never completed.
Group of eight men and seven children stand in front of crest pole on unidentified building.
Handwritten annotation below image reads: "[..?] Alaska. Indian Totem Pole, Eagle Crest South Eastern Alaska."; on verso: "Chapter XXI Illustrations No. 2. [Kinnanook?] Section of Indian Village showing Totem pole of Eagle crest."
Display of the tools of the Medicine Man: snow shoes, rattles, trumpet, hats (crowns), mask, apron and body ornamentation.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “No. 26 Medicine Man’s Outfit. Bear claw crowns, aprons with charms, rattles, trumpet, for insertion at close of chapt.”
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side with a horizontally placed wooden plank between them.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Chapter XIX near Skidegate, Shaman’s Grave”.
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side to mark the burial of a Haida medicine man. Each figure has one arm up with a hand under or over the chin, while the other arm is down. Carved chiefly headdresses adorn each of their heads.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Shaman’s grave nr. --Masset QCIs.”
Clah or T'amks [Tsimshian name] stands on wood platform in front of shovel and pickaxe leaning against building. Clah was a hereditary chief and Hudson Bay Company employee who helped missionary William Duncan learn the Tsimshian language.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: " 'Clah' or the pioneer missionary's [...?]"
Child stands in distance beside tall totem pole. Tree stumps in foreground, forest and mountains in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "[Sanabati near Upper Queen?] Kasaan Alaska".
Canoes sit on shore in foreground beside village buildings. A dock is visible above water in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Alert Bay Indian Ranch No. 14 Alert Bay. To be shown on page 69 or 70, re Alert Bay Mission."
Eight unidentified medicine men in full regalia stand in a row within a long house. Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Yaulalet Dum guna al git dkdin (?) Party of medicine men Nishka Indians ready for medicine dance. W.H. Collison”. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Haldane & Bro. Alaskan Photographers, 7 West Street, Metlakahtla – Alaska.”
Two carved wooden figures covered in moss stand side by side with a fallen wooden plank lying between them. Wooden figures have pen marks applied to the surface of the photo.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Chapt. XIX No. 3. A medicine man’s tomb guarded by two figures, one of which has two heads following a tradition. They are both ie (?) the two headed figure, arranged in the headdress containing the swan’s down which is the sign of peace”.
Two carved wooden figures stand side by side to mark the burial of a Haida medicine man. Each figure has one arm up with a hand under or over the chin, while the other arm is down. Carved chiefly headdresses adorn each of their heads.
Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “Illustration for insertion at end of Chapt XIX no. 2. Medicine man’s tomb Queen Charlotte Islands.” Photograph has pen markings made on its recto tracing the outline of these two shapes.
Photograph of three Tsimshian mortuary poles. Two crossed logs rest atop the three poles. Annotation on recto reads: "Indian Mortuary Poles Nr Prince Rupert BC McRae Bros."
Two carved poles stand in front of a wide wooden building. Forest in background.
Printed below image: "OLD KAGAAN TOTEMS, KETCHIKAN, ALASKA".
Photograph depicts totem poles (crest poles?) in front of lodge buildings on river shore. Canoes can be seen floating in foreground, hills in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Chapter XII. Number 1. Section of Indian Village on Nass River showing lodges and totems".
Photograph depicts a totem pole supported by smaller poles, and a second totem pole standing straight in background. Beach in foreground, fence and hills in distance.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Falling greatness, Chapt. XXI No. 5, A Chief's Totem Pole inclined to fall. [Gitaix?] Encampment, Nass River. Five illustration for Chapt. XXI."
Unidentified boy walks on a wood boardwalk, carrying large bundle. Forest in background.
Handwritten annotations on verso read: "Young boy carrying furs - Village of Kincolith"; "Little Indian boy carrying bear skin [?] at Gitlakdamix".
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "For heading of page 15 of Introduction to 'Trophies from a Long Trail.' Nishka Chief in his robes and Head-dress."
Buildings visible on shore in distance.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Amidst drift ice on Fishing Bay Nass River. Insert at Page 38. Indian Fishing Encampment".
Photograph depicts two men handling fishing net in canoe full of fish. Hills visible on opposite shore in distance.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Oolichan Fishing on Nass River".
Photograph depicts two men standing beside beds of fish laid out to dry. More oolichan fish hang on tall structures in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Oolichan drying & [?] grease at Fishing Bay Nass River 'Winter food supply'".
Forest and hills on opposite shore in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "poling canoe up Nass River".
Photograph features a steep cliff across still water.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Place of Scalps / Kincolith BC"
Handwritten annotations on verso read: "little infant slumbers [?] & light"; "Nisga infant in native 'papoose' carrier"; " 'Papoose' in native cradle".
Chief Gideon stands in suit and tie behind his wife who sits on the ground in front. Fence with chicken wire crosses midground, building visible in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Chief Gideon & his wife on upper Nass River".
Photograph depicts tall building, with long shorter section crossing midground in front. Path runs through garden in foreground.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Back of Mission House Kincolith".
Photograph depicts two men standing beside beds of fish laid out to dry. More oolichan fish hang on tall structures in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "'Food for winter' Oolichans drying at Fishing Bay, Nass River".
Forest and hills on opposite shore in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Travelling thru' canyon on Nass River 'Engine & poles'".
Hill on opposite shore in background.
Three men can be seen carrying bundles across bridge above river, forest on shore in background.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Upper Nass River. Chapt. XXII. No. 4. An Indian Bridge on a canyon."
Photograph depicts two men standing at base of totem pole in front of large elaborate lodge building with post reading "MINESQU". Smaller structure stands in background (elevated cache?).
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Chapter XXIV. No. 3. A chief's lodge and totem Nass River."
Four women sit in foreground at a porch partially covered with foliage.
Handwritten annotations on verso read: "Honoured elders of porch of Mission House at Kincolith, Nass River"; "sun set or legend of the past".
Three women sit in foreground at a porch partially covered with foliage.
Handwritten annotations on verso read: "Elders at Mission House Kincolith Nass River BC".
Photograph depicts a tomb elevated over grassy area.
Handwritten annotation on image reads: "26. Front of Indian tomb."; on verso: "Upper Nass River."
Photograph depicts an empty canoe floating beside a canoe full of fish. Hills visible on opposite shore in distance.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Loaded with fish - Nass River".
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Poling supplies up Nass River".
Photograph features a steep cliff across water, rocky shore in foreground.
Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Up the 'Big Creek' at Kincolith B.C. Rock face called 'the place of echoes' by the Indian people."
Photograph depicts community buildings on shoreline, water in foreground.
Handwritten annotation on image reads: "Wrangle, Alaska."; on verso: "Fort Wrangle, Alaska Territory. visited by W.H.Collison, C.M.S. 1877. Prior to the establishment of any mission, [...? illegible] 1875 - 1876. Presbyterian. Insert this illustration of Wrangle on Page 77 as marked."