For practical reasons, this páper is limited to the discussion of Native American art making use of visual and tactile channels and to only two cul ture areas north ofMexico. After the relatively few generalizations that holdfor native North America, the author takés up the art of the Great Plains and the Southwest. With respect to the former culture area, he lists those traditional objects to which aesthetic considerations weregiven, and then describes the methods ušed to decorate them, the main stylistic features of the artwork and its symbolism, and also some of the changes that the art of the Great Plains has undergone. The art of the Arapaho is ušed as an example typical of the culture area. As for the Southwest, a culture area particularly rich in a number of genres of visual arts, the author briefly describes basketry, pottery, silverwork, Navajo weaving, and Hopi kachina dolls. Both historical background and the contemporary situation are discussed, and illustrations are provided to supplement the text.
The second article concerning Native American art focuses on the art of the Northwest Coast culture area. The area is first defined geographically and then briefly characterized to enable the reader to become acquainted with the natural and cultural contexts. Although the members of the many tribes of the area were hunters (fishers) and gatherers, there was so much food available to them (for example, salmon) that these people lived in permanent villages and developed a truly monumental art. The bulk of the paper deals with art of this culture area – the materials used for the objects created by these Native Americans, and the manner in which they characterized the various animals and mythological creatures portrayed in their carvings and paintings. Special attention is paid to the several kinds of totem poles, to Chilkat blankets, and to masks used by those participating in various rituals. The illustrations accompanying the text show the tremendous variety of this bold and imaginative art that at one time existed in hundreds of villages in the Northwest Coast culture area.