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Martin, Mungo
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Ida Halpern fonds

  • PR-0847
  • Fonds
  • 1924-1989

Fonds consists of mulitmedia records documenting Ida Halpern's professional work and private affairs of her life in Canada. The records document predominantly Halpern's study of the art and culture of First Nation's communities on the West Coast of British Columbia. In particular, Halpern's studies focus on the musical traditions and cultures of First Nations communities. Halpern's recordings include music from the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples, Nuu-chah-nulth peoples, Haida peoples, and the Coast Salish peoples. There is also a considerable amount of textual material concerning Halpern's study of her recordings and publication of her conclusions on her work. Material from her writings as a music critic and supporter of local arts comprises a smaller portion of the fonds. There are also records of Halpern's private affairs in the form of correspondence, photographs and various ephemera.

Halpern, Ida

Evening edition : [Bingo halls.]

Magazine. News program about bingo halls near the British Columbia/Washington State border. "Stone Boy: Kwakiutl music by Mungo Martin", recorded and annotated by Ida Halpern, Folkways Records and Service Corp.

Sound Recordings

Reflecting her academic training as a musicologist, the series consists primarily of Ida Halpern’s musical research into the traditional arts and culture of the aboriginal peoples of the Pacific Northwest of Canada. Beginning in 1947 Halpern made a concerted effort to record original hereditary songs and ceremonies of various aboriginal communities across the West Coast. Her method focused on opportunity rather than strategic selection of aboriginal communities. The result is a scattered selection of recordings primarily from Kwakwaka’wakw (European literature: Kwakiutl) communities, but also including Nu-cha-nulth (European Literature: Nootka), Haida, Tsimshian, and Nuxalk (European literature: Bella Coola). Halpern recorded both in the setting of local communities and, when opportunity arose, in Vancouver. She began her work on a disc cutting Meissner recorder but as technology progressed she moved to audio reels and finally cassette tapes. Her magpie approach may have lacked coordination but she succeeded in capturing a significant sampling of performances from the last generation of Aboriginal leaders fluent in the arts, languages, and ceremonies of their peoples. The recordings are of unique value for three reasons in particular. First Halpern used her musical background to make unprecedented sophisticated musical analysis of the First Nations musical works she recorded. Second, Halpern arrived on the Northwest Coast at the cusp of a popular appreciation for art and culture of local First Nations societies. Her work helped to bring uncommon public attention to the artistic and social identities of these indigenous communities. Third, many of the Elders Halpern recorded were willing to offer a selection of songs, naming ceremonies and other traditional creations because they recognized the generational decline in the common usage of their indigenous culture and the corresponding need for its preservation. Halpern arranged the recordings by performer and usually by date. Not conversant in any of the languages she was recording, Halpern wrote phonetic renderings of the titles of recorded songs on the covers of the discs, reels, and cassettes. Halpern occasionally made additional annotations to the covers of the recordings to explain the meaning of songs. Most of the cases, and often the discs and cassettes, are dated in her hand. During her studies of the music, Halpern also analyzed the pitch, time signature, melody, lyrics and other elements of many of the songs. For research see the “Research records” series.

Bernard Atkins interview

CALL NUMBER: T4077:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Bernard Atkins RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1983-06-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Atkins discusses: childhood in England; moving to Victoria; first interest in photography and first photographic assignment; going up to Alaska to make film on Alaska Highway, 1949; boss Clarence Ferris; work in hard-to-get-to parts of the province; first two films, "Look to the North" and "Land of Tomorrow"; work for civil service, Tourism and Travel Bureau for B.C. government. TRACK 2: More on development of the Peace River and Alaska Highway region. Describes what life was like in the north of B.C. in the '40s and '50s. Lack of funds in Travel and Tourism Bureau. Dealing with Phil Gaglardi at Department of Highways: agreed to make some films for that department. Films on industrial industries. Resignation of Clarence Ferris. Discussion of "Men, Mountains and the Challenge;". Film about Island highway and film about totem poles. CALL NUMBER: T4077:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Bernard Atkins RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1983-06-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Further discussion on "The Silent Ones". Going up to the Queen Charlottes with Wilson Duff and others from UBC. Bringing back the totem poles to UBC and the Royal B.C. Museum. Good relationship with Bill Reid and Kelly Duncan. Got along well with Mungo Martin, the Native carver. Feud between Chief Thunderbird and Mungo Martin. Atkins' last film was "Valley of the Swans," about Kootenay Flats being drained. Discusses "Kootenay Lake Holiday" and "Highway Sixteen". Dick Colby and Clarence Ferris anecdote. Describes working conditions at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and his relationship with Ferris. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Research notes of Wilson Duff

Referred to as the Wilson Duff Papers, these records are microfilm copies of primarily the original research and field notes of Wilson Duff who was curator of Anthropology at the British Columbia Provincial Museum from 1950 to 1965 and deal with the ethnology of aboriginal peoples in British Columbia. Some field notes of other museum anthropologists are also included. The original papers consist of approximately 1.5 meters of textual records. The majority of them were microfilmed in order to make the contents available to clients of the then British Columbia Archives and Records Service. The Royal British Columbia Museum retained the original papers including some maps, typescripts and oversize material that were not microfilmed.

Wilson Duff received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Masters Degree in anthropology from the University of Washington (Seattle) in 1951. From 1950 to 1965 he served as Curator of Anthropology for the British Columbia Provincial Museum (now the Royal British Columbia Museum). He also directed the British Columbia Government Anthropology Program from 1960 to 1965. From 1965 until his death in 1976 he was a Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. During his term as Curator of Anthropology with the Museum, Wilson Duff conducted the research work documented in these papers. The papers are a diverse collection of material, consisting of field notes, maps, official and unofficial records, and copies of published and unpublished works. Records of later museum anthropologists also form a part of this collection. The Wilson Duff Papers document many aspects of Indigenous history and culture, and include important linguistic information. They also document the activities of Wilson Duff and other staff of the Provincial Museum.

British Columbia Provincial Museum

Department of Anthropology records

  • GR-3662
  • Series
  • 1909-1975; predominant 1950-1968

The series consists of operational records of the Department of Anthropology at the British Columbia Provincial Museum and it's predecessor, the Provincial Museum of Natural History and Anthropology. The records are often referred to as the Wilson Duff Papers, as a significant portion of the series consists of original research notes made by Duff, curator of Anthropology at the museum from 1980-1965, in the course of his work with Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Some field notes of other museum anthropologists are also included, as well as correspondence, subject files, and records relating to totem poles in British Columbia.

Staff of the Department of Anthropology conducted research work documenting the history, culture, and languages of Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Records include field notes, maps, transcripts of interviews, correspondence, subject files, and copies of published and unpublished works.

The series has been arranged into the following five sub-series:

A: Wilson Duff research notes
B: Administrative records and correspondence
C: Totem poles 1950-1975
D: Subject files 1945-1968
E: Ethnology field notes

British Columbia Provincial Museum

Tony Hunt and Peter McNair interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1969 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Tony Hunt discusses Mungo Martin, who was the biggest influence in his life that led to him being a carver. Mr. Hunt discusses work with the Provincial Museum at Thunderbird Park in Victoria; differences in styles in poles among different native peoples; and materials and paints used in carving totems. Then Peter McNair describes the two Kwakiutl styles of carving. TRACK 2: Mr. Peter McNair continues by discussing the history of totem carving in the Queen Charlottes; the connections between totems and clans; the revitalization and preservation of totem poles, including the 'Ksan project; and Thunderbird Park.

Mungo Martin

Recordings of Mungo Martin; no precise dates available. T2077:0001 - 0008: No content information available. T2077:0009 - 0010: Labelled as "love songs". T2077:0011 - 0016: Labelled as "miscellaneous songs". T2077:0017: Labelled as Miscellaneous songs and David Hunt songs.

Mungo Martin Recording Sessions

The sub-series consists of 121 songs recorded on 14 audio reels. The recordings capture Mungo Martin’s performances of Kwakwaka-wakw songs of his own personal family and surrounding communities. Many songs relate to other social and cultural topics and events within the cultural and community locations of Kwakwaka-wakw territory on Northern Vancouver Island and the adjacent North Coast of BC. Many of Martin’s performances concern the Matilpi tribe. These include songs from locations on Gilford Island, Kingcom Inlet, Knight Inlet, Fort Rupert, Cape Mudge, Turnour Island and Comox. Songs relate to the Lekwiltok, Nimpkish, Gilford Island, Nahwitti and Kwakiutl tribes.

Halpern possibly learned of Mungo Martin during her 1947 recording sessions with Chief Billy Assu. During discussions, Chief Assu recommends Martin to Halpern as an excellent source of traditional music [recording session, T-4339-143]. Halpern’s formal introduction to Mungo Martin seems to have come through Dorothy MacNair (née Livesay). In a letter dated June 18, 1951 Livesay wrote to Halpern:

Another man who should be recorded is Mungo Martin, the totem carver now working at UBC Totem Park. He has a workshop there. He sings a “totem carvers song” and a “song for making boxes.” He believes that the Indian songs should be recorded. [“MacNair to Halpern,” June 18, 1951, Halpern fonds, AdMss. 2768, box 12, file 6.]

The recordings began in August 1951 less than two months after this letter. As noted in the letter, Mungo Martin journeyed with his wife Abayah to Vancouver to work on the University of British Columbia’s totem pole restauration project. The project began in 1950. It lasted two years. Halpern befriended the Martin’s during this time. He and Abayah were frequent guests at the Halpern’s home on West 37th Street. Halpern recorded most of Martin’s performances at her home on a reel to reel recorder. Martin’s performances were the first Halpern recorded directly onto a reel tape recorder. Until this time she had recorded on a disk cutter and migrated copies onto reel dissemination for publication and sharing with other scholars for discussion. Ida Halpern held Mungo Martin in very high regard. She often referred to him as “the most outstanding carver and singer of his generation.”

Royal totem pole

The item is a print of newsreel which shows the totem pole carved by Kwakiutl Chief Mungo Martin as BC's centennial gift to Queen Elizabeth. Footage includes ceremony on lawn of BC Legislature, First Nations dancing, inspection of prone totem pole and shots of pole being transported to ship.

Violet McNaughton fonds

  • PR-0579
  • Fonds
  • 1958

The fonds consists of Violet McNaughton's notes and clippings relating to Mungo Martin and his carving of a totem pole for Windsor Park in 1958.

McNaughton, Violet

McNaughton, Violet. Saskatoon; Journalist, Writer.

Notes and clippings relating to Mungo Martin and his carving of a totem pole for Windsor Park in 1958 and correspondence with Maisie Hurley of the Vancouver National Voice. Five photographs of Mungo Martin and the totem pole have been transferred to Visual Records accession 199001-7.

Received from Jack Hilliard, Victoria via the Provincial Museum, 1968.

McNaughton, Violet

The Queen's totem

The item is a reel of documentary film. A special totem pole is created as a gift to Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of B.C.'s centennial. Shows the selection and cutting of the tree on the Queen Charlotte Islands, the carving operation at Thunderbird Park, and the presentation of the finished pole to Queen Elizabeth in London. The pole was designed and executed by Kwakiutl carver Mungo Martin.

The Queen's totem

The item consists of six reels of unedited documentary film elements. A special totem pole is created as a gift to Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of B.C.'s centennial. Shows the selection and cutting of the tree on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii), the carving operation at Thunderbird Park, and the presentation of the finished pole to Queen Elizabeth in London. The pole was designed and executed by Kwakiutl carver Mungo Martin.

Record II : defective recording

The item consists of an audio disc (sound disc) of Kwakiutl songs sung by Mungo Martin of Fort Rupert, recorded by Mildred Valley Thornton sometime around 1954.
Disc summary: taken from accession file.
Kwakiutl songs, sung by Mungo Martin of Fort Rupert. The first is a feast song from Fort Rupert; the second is a mourning song. The remaining songs cannot be identified because the sound quality is poor, and all the spoken announcements are too faint. There are long blank periods between songs.

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