In 1990, Dorothy Burnham, a renowned authority on textiles and former curator at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, began work with three curators at the Canadian Ethnology SErvice of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This book marks the tenth anniversary of this rewarding collaboration. It celebrates Mrs. Burnham's many contributions to on-going research on the Museum's ethnographic collections from the Northern Athabaskan, Arctic, Plateau, and Eastern Woodlands regions of North America.

Eight papers highlight the important role that comprehensive study of museum collections and, in particular, the understanding of garment cuts and techniques of weaving, sewing, and decorative work, can play in material culture studies. Three papers by individuals working in contemporary Aboriginal communities illustrate the value of this detailed informatioin to those seeking to revive traditional skills. Fascinating Challenges is an important resource for anyone interested in material culture studies and Aboriginal heritage.