The Broughton Archipelago and Alert Bay
What a stunning day to explore the Northwest coast! Sunshine, seabirds, snow capped mountains, rainbows and the promise of spring colored the day. We stopped at a rocky outcrop draped with Steller sea lions while bald eagles whirled overhead and perched along the way until we were nearly tired of watching those magnificent creatures. The scenery grew more and more dramatic as we tucked into the mouth of Knight’s Inlet and Captain Nettles took the National Geographic Sea Lion into the backwaters of the Broughton Archipelago as though it were a cedar canoe on the way to a potlatch. Once in a while, when the currents are with us, we have the great good fortune to visit the mysterious and now deserted Village Island, home to the infamous 1922 potlatch that changed the course of history for the Kwak’wakw’a’wak people. A few old pilings remain to remind us of the boats that were once tied alongside, while some tumble down houses and a set of old cedar house posts are all that remain of the once thriving village.
As we discovered, there is much more than meets the eye in the small town of Alert Bay. At first this island community appears rather sleepy and a bit unkempt, but underneath is a remarkable drive to preserve their traditional culture that opens every heart to the struggle. The story of people arrested for carrying on their traditional feasts is one we all can relate to, as these sad injustices are all too common all over the world. But in Alert Bay, this First Nations band has triumphed. We heard the language and felt the passion of the adults for ‘paying it forward’ and teaching the young ones the songs and the dances of their ancestors. We witnessed the children living the culture that has shaped the inhabitants of this area for ten thousand years. Tomorrow the town will host a two-day potlatch and unveil a new memorial pole.
What could be better?
