Burke museum unveils totems

The 100-year-old Burke Museum is opening its doors for a one-of-a-kind exhibit.

According to George MacDonald, the director of the museum and co-curator of the exhibit, the Burke Museum contains poles ranging in age from 200-years-old to present-day.

"One can find pieces that are not just standing poles, but hand carved canoes and other pieces, which will trace totem art," he said.

The expansive collection of totem poles make the museum the most popular attraction in the Northwest region for Native American art, according to MacDonald, who said the poles are experiencing a revival rather than dying out.

The exhibit, "Out of Silence: The Enduring Power of Totem Poles", is showing through Sept. 3. Admission is free to UW students, staff and faculty.

Aside from totems and Indian art, dinosaur bones are also on display at the Burke.

According to Natasha Dworkin, public-relations and marketing director at the Burke, the museum is the only place in Washington state where actual dinosaur bones can be seen.

"Having dinosaur bones makes us very popular, especially with children and families," she said.

However, totem poles are the current center of attention, according to MacDonald.

"Casinos are the most favorite places for them in the Indian reservations, which is a part of the phenomenon," MacDonald said.

He also said that people admire poles because they illustrates Indian history, generally referring to the episodes experienced by the ancestors.

"There is the belief that supernatural beings will give people gifts and resources as living privileges, which would then be inherited," said

MacDonald.

He also noted that the number of private collectors for the poles has been on the rise. Some poles adorn businesses as distinctive art of the Northwest.

The museum also offers a four-hour tour to see the Totems of Seattle at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery, Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market

and the Museum of History and Industry. The tour is intended to enhance a person's understanding of the totem art and learn Indian culture. It will

be lead by a Ph.D. student of Northwest coast, Paula Tharp, who will tell

stories about the poles.

The Burke Museum totem-pole tours are: Saturdays, July 12 and Aug. 9,

11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs vary, but the museum is free to

children 5 and younger, Burke members and UW students, staff and faculty.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and open until 8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Admission is $8 general, $6.50 seniors and $5 students/youth.

The Burke Museum is located at the corner of NE 45th Street and 17th

Avenue Northeast on the UW's campus.