Village Island & Alert Bay on Cormorant Island
Early this morning the National Geographic Sea Lion continued north through Johnstone strait. At 8:00am our Captain turned into Blackney passage, leading into Blackfish Sound. Our goal was Village Island, located a few miles east of Johnstone strait inside Knight Inlet. The west coast of British Columbia is extremely rugged, with a coastal mountain range, dipping straight into the Pacific Ocean, with a gorgeous series of inlets running deep into the mainland of BC. Dotting these glacially carved inlets are many, many small islands. These islands provide protected harbors where First Nations people have settled for thousands of years. Our morning destination of Village Island remains an important old village sight of the Kwakwaka’wakw nation and today, would be our backdrop for Zodiac cruises. Leaving the National Geographic Sea Lion we headed into the quiet bay that faces the main beach just underneath the front internal posts of a Big House. The beach was creamy white from thousands of years of clam shells that had been deposited there after many a feast. Moving east along the shore in front of the village we found the remains of a Totem pole. Under the protection of a blooming fruit tree the totem pole was at rest. The Kwakwaka’wakw believe that nothing lasts forever. When a Totem pole falls to the earth or something was damaged on it, it has served its purpose and it was time to make a new one. Hence, this is the reason for not maintaining, repairing or repainting any Totem poles. Each Zodiac had an opportunity to move slowly in front of the village sight, take photos and then continue exploring the surrounding islands. In the well-lit areas facing the afternoon sun we found pockets of spring’s first wild flowers. Looking out over the water we watched and heard many birds making their migratory return to the area. All too soon it was time to return to the Sea Lion, and continue our journey into the town of Alert Bay, located on Cormorant Island.
The National Geographic Sea Lion pulled into the government dock in Alert Bay during lunch, and at approximately 1:30pm we disembarked for our afternoon ashore in a very interesting small community. Cormorant Island is 180 miles north of Vancouver, BC and is located just slightly off of the northeast coast of Vancouver Island in Johnstone Strait. It is 3 miles long and 1/2 mile wide and has a population of approximately 1,500 people. Our focus would be with the Namgis people, one of several bands of the Kwakwaka’wakw. Our first stop was the U’mista Cultural Centre, which houses one of the world’s finest collections of Potlatch regalia. Our group was divided into two groups. Each group was invited into the lower section of the museum for an explanation of elaborately carved masks, coppers, rattles and whistles depicting the Potlatch Ceremony of the Kwakwaka’wakw. The Potlatch is the foundation for a system of laws by which Northwest Coast Nations have lived from time immemorial. Some aspects of the Potlatch have changed over the years, but the purpose for holding one is often same today as they were in the past. These occasions are the naming of children, memorializing the dead, transferring rights and privileges, marriages, the raising of totem poles or the opening of Big House. The Potlatch is a gathering of people that serves to validate these events before witnesses and /or invited guests, by the giving of gifts or property. Hence, the highest status of the chiefs among the Northwest Coast was given to those leaders who had the ability to give and encourage the circulation of wealth within the group. The invited guests are gifted and feasted to say “thank you” for bearing witness to a specific event or occasion.
"When one’s heart is glad, he gives away gifts. It was given to us by our Creator, to be our way of going things, to be our way of rejoicing, we who are Indian. The Potlatch was given to us to be our way of expressing joy." –Agnes Alfred, Alert Bay 1980
As if to remind us of this gifting, our group was invited to the Big House located a short distance from the U’mista cultural centre, for an opportunity to experience the rich culture being taught to the Kwakwaka’wakw children of Alert Bay. Inside the Big House a large roaring fire had been lit in the fire circle, several men were gathering at the drum log and we could hear the voices of children from behind the screened area at the back of the Big House.
Andrea Cranmer came forward to welcome everyone and also gave a thorough explanation of the dances we were about to see. Onto the soft natural floor of the Big House children along with their aunties and uncles, brothers, sister and cousins came forward dancing around the fire showing us through the expression of dance and song traditional movement that had been passed down to them, from ancient family traditions. The weather dance, the salmon dance several small Hamat’sas, and for many of us the last fun-dance the Am’lala, where we were invited to share the floor with our hosts. After our dance we were feasted with traditionally prepared sockeye salmon, banoc and homemade jams. The smell of smoke from the central fire, the taste of fish cooked over an open fire, and images of children dancing were memories we carried in our hearts as we enjoyed a return walk through Alert Bay back to the National Geographic Sea Lion. Slowly our new floating home released her lines from the Government dock and began a slow passage away from Alert Bay and back into Johnstone Strait, heading north… continuing our journey through waters dotted with many different Northwest Coast peoples. Their villages both old and new continue to mark a territory rich in cultural diversity.
