The Haida of the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia constructed some of the most magnificent houses and erected some of the most beautifully carved totem poles on the Northwest Coast. During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, images of the Haida's immense cedar houses and soaring totem poles were captured by photographers who travelled to then-remote villages such as Masset and Skidegate to marvel at, and record, what they saw there. Haida Monumental Art, initially published as a limited edition hardcover and now available in paperback, includes a large number of these remarkable photographs. They depict the Haida villages at the height of their glory and records their tragic deterioration only a few decades later. As well, this edition contains the complete text from the first edition, including site plans and detailed descriptions of fifteen major villages and several smaller sites, which are catalogued by house and pole. By combining archeology and ethnohistory, George MacDonald presents an integrated framework for understanding the physical structure of a Haida village. He explains how the houses and poles are part of a fascinating web of myth, family history and Haida cosmology, which provides a unique insight into Haida culture.

Haida Monumental Art: Villages of the Queen Charlotte Islands

Arts & Photography

MacDonald, George F.

History & Criticism

UBC Press

In Chinese Opera brilliant photographs by Sui Wang-Ngai introduce the reader to a unique theatrical form. Dramatic, full-color stage photographs of individual actors and dynamic action shots, taken in natural light at live performances in Hong Kong, capture gestures and facial expression to convey the theatrical moment while simultaneously pointing to the differences in costuming and presentation that distinguish each regional style and character.
Chinese opera is a blend of song, speech, mime, dance, and acrobatics held together by a language of theatrical conventions entirely new to the Westerner. It is based on a rich repertoire of stories drawn from the history, legends, myths, folk tales, and classic novels of the country, here engagingly retold by Peter Lovrick. Full of colorful characters and surprising events born of the imagination of ancient culture, these stories live on as part of the Chinese theatrical tradition.
The plays are organized in groups to give an idea of the Chinese "chain of being" or social structure--from heavenly beings to emperors, common folk to ghosts. A short preface to each section provides important insights into traditional society. A brief anecdotal history of the development of Chinese opera is also included, as is a list of English-and Chinese-language references. Chinese Opera offers an evocative and fascinating glimpse of Chinese cultural life.

Chinese Opera: Stories and Images

Lovrick, Peter

Wang-Ngai, Siu

Music

Throughout the world, the cowboy is an instantly recognized symbol of the North American West. Legends of Our Times breaks the stereotype of ‘cowboys and Indians’ to show an almost unknown side of the West. It tells the story of some of the first cowboys - Native peoples of the northern Plains and Plateau.Through stories, poetry, art, and reminiscences in this lavishly illustrated work, Native people invite the reader on a fascinating journey into the world of ranching and rodeo. The book also presents the special relationship between Native people and animals such as the horse, buffalo, deer, and dog, which have always played an important role in Native spiritual and economic life.By the mid-nineteenth century, Native people were highly valued for their skills in horse breeding and herding, and could take advantage of new economic opportunities in the emerging ranching industry. Faced with limited resources, competition for land, and control by governments and Indian agents, many Native people still managed to develop their own herds or to find work as cowboys.As the ways of the Old West changed, new forms of entertainment and sport evolved. Impresarios such as Buffalo Bill Cody invented the Wild West show, employing Native actors and stunt performers to dramatize scenes from the history of the West and to demonstrate the friendly competitions that cowboys enjoyed at the end of a long round-up or cattle drive. The popularity of rodeos also grew within Native communities, and arenas were built on many reserves. Native rodeos are still held, while many Native competitors ride in professional rodeos as well.Today, Plains and Plateau peoples proudly continue a long tradition of cowboying. Legends of Our Times is a celebration of their rich contribution to ranching and rodeo life.

Legends of Our Times: Native Cowboy Life

History

Baillargeon, Morgan

Tepper, Leslie Heyman

Americas

The Cult of Happiness: Nianhua, Art, and History in Rural North China

Flath, James A.

Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities

In this provocative book, Rod Preece takes issue with the popular view that the Western cultural tradition, in contrast to Eastern and Native American traditions, has encouraged attitudes of domination and exploitation towards nature, particularly animals. He argues that the much maligned Western tradition has more to commend it than is customarily recognized, and that the Native and Oriental orientations to animals and nature have often been described in a misleadingly rosy hue.The result of six years' intensive research into comparative religion, literature, philosophy, anthropology, mythology, ethology, and animal welfare science, Animals and Nature is a welcome contribution to the debate about our place in the natural world.

The Canadian Forest Fire Behaviour System is a systematic methodfor assessing wildland fore behaviour potential. The guide provides a simplified version of the system, presented in tabular format. It was prepared to assist staff in making first approximations of FBP system outputs when computer-based applications arenot available. Quantitative estimates of head fire spread rate, fire intensity, type of fire, and elliptical fire area, perimeter, and perimeter growth rate are provided for sixteen discrete fuel types within five broad groupings (coniferous, deciduous, and mixedwood forests, logging slash, and hrass), covering mostof the major forest fuel types found in Canada. The FBP system is intended to supplement the experience and judgment of fire managers.

Field Guide to the Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System (Special Report, 11)

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Taylor, S.W.

Alexander, M.E.

Pike, R. G.

Exercise & Fitness

The most common and important insects, diseases, and other damaging agents of forest trees in the Canadian prairie provinces are described in terms of their symptoms and signs, distribution, hosts, disease (life) cycle, and damage. These are illustrated with colour photographs for easy identification. The book is divided into three major colour-coded sections: one for insects and diseases of conifers, one for insects and diseases of hardwoods, and one for other damaging agents. A host index listing pest species and disorders by host species and part of host affected, a glossary of technical terms, a general reference section, and a general index listing common and scientific names of hosts and pests as well as other damaging agents are also included.

A Field Guide to Forest Insects and Diseases of the Prairie Provinces

Science & Math

Hiratsuka, Yasuyuki

Langor, D. W.

Crane, P. E.

Nature & Ecology

Aboriginal Plant Use in Canada's Northwest Boreal Forest

About the Author\nRobin J. Marles teaches in the Department of Botany at Brandon University.\nThis book describes the traditional Native American uses of more than 200 plants from Northern forests. Over 100 elders contributed information that they felt should be shared with other communities. Native and non-Native students worked together to collect plant specimens and record traditional knowledge about the use of plants for medicine, handicrafts, technology, and ritual practices.\nEntries with photographs for each plant are arranged according to plant family and include information on physical descriptions, habitat, uses for food, technology, medicine, and potential economic use. The book also includes an explanation of the research approach, a literature review, and an overview of the ecological and cultural background of the area.\nBook Description\nDescribes the traditional Native American uses of more than 200 plants from Northern forests.

Aboriginal Plant Use in Canada's Northwest Boreal Forest: New Edition

Politics & Social Sciences

Marles, Robin J.

Social Sciences

The major forest tree diseases of the Canadian prairie provinces are described in terms of their cause, distribution and hosts, symptoms and signs, disease cycle, damage, and control. The 25 coniferous, 15 deciduous, and 6 noninfectious disorders are illustrated by 47 pages of colour photographs. An appendix listing the diseases by host, a glossary of technical terms, and a general index listing the common and scientific names of the hosts and the scientific names of the pathogens are also included.

Forest Tree Diseases of the Prairie Provinces (Information Report; Nor-X-286)

Hiratsuka, Y.

More than 600 species of insects and mites that feed on trees and shrubs in the prairie provinces are discussed in terms of their distribution, hosts, importance, life cycle and appearance and damage. There are approximately 1100 colour photographs; the life cycle and damage of major pest species are illustrated, and for less important species, primarily the larval stage is shown. Pests attacking coniferous hosts are separated from those attacking hardwoods, and each group is subdivided according to the kind of feeding damage and type of insect involved. An extensive bibliography is provided. In addition to a taxonomic index listing the order and family of each insect or mite, there is a diagnostic index listing the host species, feeding site of the pest, and species of insect or mite involved and an insect index.

Tree and Shrub Insects of the Prairie Provinces

Wong, H. R.

Ives, W. G. H.

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the UBC Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by UBC Press