British museum joins Indians for cultural exhibit

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In an effort to educate the European public about Northern Aboriginal cultures, Indigenous Survival International announced recently the official opening of "The Living Arctic."

This marks the first time the British Museum has worked jointly with an Aboriginal organization on a million dollar exhibition emphasizing the traditional and contemporary Aboriginal cultures. This will also be the first time England and Europe will not only see but also hear the survival spirit and strength of Aboriginal cultures through the performances by Inuit Throat Singers, Dene Drummers, Indian Hoop Dancers, as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of renowned Indian conductor John Kim Bell.

The exhibition will portray the lives of the Indians, Metis and Inuit of the Arctic and the Subarctic. This project is based on the academic and scientific expertise of Aboriginal culture, the people themselves.

The exhibition will show an expected 1.5 million visitors from all over the world, the full picture of life in the North, the complexities of Aboriginal societies that have survived for thousands of years in an adverse environment, and in the face of today's hi-tech, industrialized world. Basic principles underlying Aboriginal relationships with the land, with the animals, with the other natural resources remain unchanged.

"In recent years, our harvesting of wildlife has been attacked by urban enthnocentric animal rights groups. ISI is charged with the responsibility to safeguard the continuing Native relationships with the land and renewable resources," said Georges Erasmus, ISI-Canada co-chairman. "To educate the public about the cultures of Aboriginal people and our dependence on harvesting of renewable resources, we are working with the Greenpeace International Board, the World Wildlife Fund, and with the British Museum.

"What started out as a recreation to animal rights accusations of cruelty to animals, has become a positive celebration of our land and animal based culture."

Approximately 125 Native participants from all across Canada will be leaving Nov. 30 to attend this event on Dec. 2 ? 4 in London.

Indigenous Survival International is an Aboriginal solidarity group with representatives from across Greenland, Canada and Alaska, and formed three years ago in Yellowknife. The mandate of ISI is to protect Aboriginal harvesting rights and to ensure that there is a continuing international market for Aboriginal fur products.