First Nations: Arts and Culture of the Northwest Coast of North America at Musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac
Tatltatlumtl transformation mask
Kwakwaka'wakw
British Columbia, Canada
Painted wood, graphite, cedar, canvas, rope, plant fibers, metal
71.1951.35.1
© Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, photo Hughes Dubois
First Nations
Arts and Culture of the Northwest Coast of North America
September 28, 2026 — January 16, 2027
Along nearly 1,800 kilometers of coastline and across some 40 languages, the First Nations of the American Northwest have made their art a sacred language, filled with spirits and totemic figures.
The First Nations of the American Northwest developed—without agriculture or writing—complex sedentary societies based on an abundance of natural resources: salmon, candlestick fish, marine mammals, and vast cedar forests. This wealth enabled a sophisticated way of life and an original way of thinking.
Their art, deeply rooted in their worldview, features mythical beings and spirit animals such as the Raven, the creator and ancestor of the clans. These figures, guardians of stories and ancestral rights, adorn totem poles, houses, masks, clothing, and everyday objects. Their artistic production follows precise symbolic and stylistic rules, making this art a sacred language.
In the 18th century, during their first encounters with Europeans, these peoples formed a mosaic of clans in which lineage was most often passed down through the female line. Rights, knowledge, and obligations structured a vast social network that connected communities far beyond the boundaries of individual villages.
Their philosophy and their creations have profoundly influenced anthropologists and artists, from Boas and Lévi-Strauss to Surrealists such as Max Ernst and André Breton. Today, their artistic and spiritual traditions remain alive, bearing witness to an exceptional heritage.
Curator
Steve Bourget, Head of the Americas Collections, Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
Associate Curator
Nika Collison, Director of the Haida Gwaii Museum, Canada
Exhibit Design
Atelier Maciej Fiszer
