Rodger Touchie

Rodger D. Touchie writes and publishes works on the history of British Columbia. This book is a summary of Edward S. Curtis' work that relates to tribes north of the 49th parallel, or "The Medicine Line", which was the name given to the white man's border by the plains tribes.

Spurred by concern that the aboriginal way of life was disappearing, Edward Curtis captured the character and life of Native Americans in a monumental collection of work. He spent over thirty years in the early part of the twentieth century creating his magnum opus of superb photography, films, audio recordings and the 20-volume masterpiece The North American Indian. It was received with acclaim from luminaries such as President Theodore Roosevelt to modern First Nation chiefs. Although academics long ignored it, his work has now become a major source of research material. Sadly he never benefitted financially and died in poverty in 1952.

As well as providing an intriguing look at his obsession, Touchie reproduces 150 photographs. A friend of Curtis said "The results which Curtis gets with his camera stir one as one is stirred by a great painting, and when we are thus moved by a picture, and share the thought and feeling that the artist had when he made the picture, we may recognize it as a work of art". Touchie has recovered the awe in which the originals were held.

Includes bibliography and index.… (mer)