MEHOHIDI

This exhibit features the culture, language, and stories of the Tahltan Nation. The full title, given by the Elders, was “Mehodihi: Well-known Traditions of the Tahltan People, Our Great Ancestors Lived That Way.” One of the first museum exhibitions to focus specifically on the Nation, it was a source of community celebration and the book which resulted, shown below, collected the content for future study in Tahltan schools.

The design team addressed the Elders request to communicate “that this is our land.” This was interpreted in myriad ways, notably the entryway to the designed as a series of banners featuring the river confluence, through which visitors walked to enter the red ochre coloured exhibit hall. 

Client: UBC Museum of Anthropology and Tahltan Nation
Location: Vancouver, BC
Scope: Exhibition, sourcebook, poster, and invitation graphic design

The creation of a warm, inviting space was essential, both for the visitor and for housing the belongings shared by the Tahltan for the the exhibition. Colourful photos accompanied stories about the beadwork, clothing, masks, and carvings by their creators or related by Knowledge Keepers. This was an important design element in order to make clear the relationships between people, land, and culture.

The sourcebook we designed was an important outcome of the process in that it collected all the teachings, photos, and stories which comprised the exhibit. It was used in years following as an educational tool for children and youth—contributing to community identity and well-being.

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