Brings together members of Washington State’s diverse Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American communities to explore sources of cultural identity.

The groundbreaking "Pacific Voices" exhibit grew out of a five-year collaborative process that brought together members of Washington State's diverse Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American communities. The exhibition became a vehicle for the expression of a variety of voices exploring sources of cultural identity: objects, rituals, ceremonies, and traditions that both anchor and showcase the ways of life of Pacific Rim communities.

Each of the seventeen chapters highlights a unique cultural object: Rose Dang and Thuy Vu see the Vietnamese incense burner as a vehicle for carrying prayers; 'Iwalani Christian calls the Hawaiian pahu "the voice of the gods"; the Reverend Dean Koyama describes the Japanese obutsudan as an altar for remembering loved ones; and Vi Hilbert presents the Coast Salish river canoe as "a place to learn patience." Each vibrant narrative is accompanied by colorful photographs and illustrations, and helpful sidebars provide historical and contextual information. Taken together, the stories in Pacific Voices provide a fresh perspective on the multicultural world in which we live, as well asvaluable insights into the diverse cultures of the Pacific Rim.

For more information visit:http://www.burkemuseum.org/exhibits/pacific-voices-0

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"Pacific Voices is a beautifully illustrated book. . . . the book's final section, a list of suggested readings on each object, is a welcome aspect of the publication."

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"The book celebrates and affirms the sixteen cultures represented in the diverse population of Seattle today and it will be beneficial to professionals and students in ethnic and material culture studies, to member of ethnic groups, and to art enthusiasts..Pacific Voices affords us the sights that accompany the sounds, smells, and experiences of growing up, and growing old, among the people and things that matter to cultural identity."

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"Pacific Voices qualifies as a gem. As much as the vivid images, it's the individual voices that come through— of sacredness and laughter, spiritual courage and loss— that make this a book to treasure."