Description
The Face Pullers: Photographing Native Canadians 1871 - 1939 is a collection of almost 200 archival photographs of Prairie First Nations individuals and families compiled by the Chief Audio-Visual Archivist at the Provincial Archives of Alberta, Brock Silversides. The collection provides an overview of the overwhelming changes that occurred in the lives of First Nations communities in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The images are organized according to broad time periods where the author identifies the photographers and their role in photographing the First Nations. Most often the amateurs and professionals brought their skewed ideas about Indians to their craft. Some of the images are identified with names and locations but many of the images do not have specific family names recorded. The author has gathered an amazing amount of never before published images along with the classic photographs of Crowfoot, Poundmaker, and Big Bear. One charming image shows a portrait studio photograph of a young Blackfoot girl holding a cat. The photo was taken at Fort Macleod, Alberta around 1884. The transition period photographs show First Nations students attending residential school, a First Nation's brass band, a baseball team, and the Dunbow School Hockey Team in 1902. The most recent photographs reflect the stereotyped images of First Nations in full regalia attending the visit of Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir's visit to Sweetgrass Reserve in 1936. An informative introductory essay supplies readers with background details about the way stereotyped images were in the eyes of the non-Native photographers. This essay is particularly helpful for high school students studying media arts and the visual arts as well Canadian history. The Face Pullers: Photographing Native Canadians 1871 - 1939 is an authorized student support resource for Alberta Education 10, 20, and 30 high school courses.