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Sister City art on tour
Artwork by secondary school students in
Seattle, one of Christchurch’s six Sister
Cities, as well as local high school students
is on display in an exhibition that pays
homage to the art and culture of the
indigenous peoples of each area – the
Suquamish, Duwamish, and Puget Sound
Indians (Coastal Salish) in Seattle, and
New Zealand Ngai Tahu. Entitled ‘First People’, the exhibition
runs from 15 February to 14 March. The exhibition is one of the latest
educational, cultural, and trade
connections that have been established
between Seattle and Christchurch since
the Sister City relationship was first
established in 1981. Chairman of the Christchurch-Seattle
Sister City Committee, Brian Palliser, who
was in Seattle in November 2001 to
celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sister
City relationship, says the cities share many
similarities; both are national leaders in the
fields of computer technology and
electronics for example. Christchurch’s
Recycled Materials Foundation was
modelled on the Clean Washington Center,
which is based in Seattle. Seattle started its programme of
developing international trade partners in
1993 and was one of the world’s first “City
States” to promote the concept that
having a global perspective would become
increasingly important to a city’s (and
region’s) success in the 21st century. Mr Palliser says that formal Sister City
relationships are about promoting
cultural understanding through a wide
range of ‘connections’ including the arts,
education and sport and the
establishment of economic and
commercial linkages. “It is not possible to quantify the
relationship or put a dollar value on it. A
visit to the Arboretum, for example,
developed by Seattle to showcase trees
and plants from all over the world
including a New Zealand section, could
result in a greater awareness of
Christchurch and the boosting of tourism,
but these are subtle effects.” Mr Palliser says more projects, including
art exchanges, are in the pipeline between
the Seattle Art Museum, the Burke
Museum (also in Seattle at Washington
University) and the Canterbury Museum.
“The Seattle Art Museum has expressed
interest in hosting a high quality Maori
exhibit. We’re also working on bringing
an exhibition of Northwest Indian arts
and crafts to the Canterbury Museum.” Another exciting project is the production
of a carved totem (or similar art form) for
the Sister Cities Gardens at Halswell Quarry
Park. This project involves bringing an Indian
carver from Seattle to Christchurch. He will
‘set up’ in a public area, possibly the Arts
Centre, so people can watch the artwork
unfold. The garden is already home to a seat
carved in Oamaru stone by local Seattleborn
carver Doug Neil. One of the highlights of the
Christchurch/ Seattle Sister City
relationship has been the scholar
exchange programme. Each year, three
senior secondary school students from
Christchurch, and further afield, visit
Seattle for a two-week exchange around
Easter.The exchange is reciprocated with
senior students visiting from Seattle. For more information about the Seattle
scholar exchange programme contact Dave
Adamson or Sue McFarlane at the Christchurch
City Council on 941 8775 or 941 8959.
Information on Seattle and Christchurch’s
five other Sister Cities can be found on the
web at www.christchurch.org.nz/SisterCities |