Wilson Duff Livres

Descriptive interpretation of northwest coast Indian art as represented by this collection of several previously unpublished works of Wilson Duff. The tragic death of Wilson Duff at the age of 51, cut short the life of one of the leading experts on the arts and culture of Native peoples of the Northwest Coast. An anthropology professor at the University of B.C, his death, by his own hand, terminated his uncommonly perceptive research into the philosophy and psychology of Native art. Bird of Paradox consists of unpublished works by Duff which present his unique theoretical ideas that contribute to art scholarship, as well as creative writings and poetry which expose his emotional experiences with and feelings toward Native art and culture. Editor E. N. Anderson has provided detailed introductory material recounting Duff's life and work, and puts Duff's final contributions in the context of Northwest Coast life.

The book offers a comprehensive exploration of the historical interactions between British Columbia's First Nations and colonial cultures. Wilson Duff's scholarly work, first published in 1965, remains influential in anthropology and history, with over 15,000 copies sold and a place on many academic reading lists. Although intended as the first in a series of ethnic histories, Duff's subsequent manuscripts were never completed. Nonetheless, this book continues to be a vital resource for understanding the impact of European colonization on Indigenous peoples in the region.