Alert Bay, British Columbia
The Sea Lion passed through Seymour Narrows at approximately 5:00am, leaving one of the Inside Passages’ greatest navigational hazards behind. In 1958 a tunnel system was drilled into Ripple rock and fourteen hundred tons of Nitramex 2H explosives were packed into the tunnels. Engineers overseeing the project were hoping for a new clearance of 40 feet (12 m.) at low tide. The explosion was scheduled to take place on April 5, 1958 a schedule that would have a minimum affect on the fish moving through the area. After the blast forty-five (14m.) cleared the south pinnacle at low tide; 70 feet (21m.) flowed over the north pinnacle. The mammoth undertaking was a tremendous success and an engineering triumph! As the full moon began to set, and a rushing tide of more than 14 feet abated in slack water, thus, providing the safest time for the Sea Lion to continue her journey north.
Our expedition leader made his customary wakeup call at 7:00am, announcing the lovely early morning sunlight and invited us all to the bow. The natural history staff remained stationed on the bow on the look out for any interesting activity, from marine mammals, unusual and typical birds of the area along with pointing out the spectacular scenery of Johnstone Strait, the body of water we would be spending the entire day cruising through.
In preparation for our afternoon destination we would have a morning talk on Northwest Coast Art and Culture. Our naturalist, Sharon Grainger would take us on a visual journey, outlining the interconnected relationships of First Nations people with the dramatic scenery that is their home. This relationship is expressed through the distinctive art of the area….form line design tells the stories of origin and great connections to the supernatural and physical world through the expression of regalia, song and dance.
The Sea Lion continued moving north entering Blackfish Sound just before lunch. The day remained gorgeous as we continued our search for marine life. Soon we were rewarded with a sighting of Pacific White-sided dolphins. They appeared to be quite busy foraging for fish in these cold and abundant waters. Our second mate Adam made several maneuvers and with great success brought these very curious dolphins all around our bow. Just below the surface, we could see dolphins beautifully patterned in black, white and gray. They seemed to be just as curious about us as we were about them. All too soon we needed to return to our midday meal, just as the dolphins returned to their foraging…a few animals jumped and twisted in the air, as if to say goodbye as the Sea Lion pulled away heading for Cormorant Island and the First Nations community of Alert Bay.
Our first stop after lunch would be the U’Mista Cultural Center. This museum, also called a “Box of Treasures” houses a collection of regalia including coppers, many masks, and other important cultural objects that were confiscated during a potlatch in 1921. These very important cultural items remained in the position of the Canadian government until the 1970’s when the First Nations people of Alert Bay began petitions to have these pieces returned. In order to have their regalia returned, the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations had to provide a museum to house their treasures. “In earlier days, people and objects were sometimes taken captive by raiding parties. When they returned to their homes, either through payment of ransom or by a retaliatory raid, they were said to have u’mista.” The building of this museum before the return of regalia was considered a form of u’mista.
Once inside the museum we were invited into the lower section of the building for an interpretive walk through the returned potlatch regalia. Lillian Hunt, a long time member of Alert Bay walked us through the pieces in order of their presentation during a potlatch, adding myth and allowing the masks to dance in our imaginations…
From the museum we walked through the southern part of the community of Alert Bay making our way to the Big House. Here, we were greeted by leader Andrea Cranmer with her sister Barbara and mother Vera of a local dance group. Their name translated into English, means “To Be Determined.” During the next hour we were gifted with an exhibition of traditional dances. Amongst Native peoples children are considered our greatest resource, and watching three-year-old boys and girls learning from their sisters, brothers, aunties and uncles was delightful. The dancers, drummers and singers filled the house in a visual and auditory feast! As the button blankets twirled around the central fire, we could only imagine the same dances in similar Big Houses moving through time creating a continuum from the past and leading into the future. As the children danced with their parents and relatives, the eldest member of Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations stood, smiling acknowledging her pride at seeing her cultural traditions carried forward. Auntie Ethel, has been dancing for 90 of her 93 years, and as she said after the dances were complete, “I am so proud to see the dances I have taught my daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters continue…it brings joy to my heart.”
The Sea Lion passed through Seymour Narrows at approximately 5:00am, leaving one of the Inside Passages’ greatest navigational hazards behind. In 1958 a tunnel system was drilled into Ripple rock and fourteen hundred tons of Nitramex 2H explosives were packed into the tunnels. Engineers overseeing the project were hoping for a new clearance of 40 feet (12 m.) at low tide. The explosion was scheduled to take place on April 5, 1958 a schedule that would have a minimum affect on the fish moving through the area. After the blast forty-five (14m.) cleared the south pinnacle at low tide; 70 feet (21m.) flowed over the north pinnacle. The mammoth undertaking was a tremendous success and an engineering triumph! As the full moon began to set, and a rushing tide of more than 14 feet abated in slack water, thus, providing the safest time for the Sea Lion to continue her journey north.
Our expedition leader made his customary wakeup call at 7:00am, announcing the lovely early morning sunlight and invited us all to the bow. The natural history staff remained stationed on the bow on the look out for any interesting activity, from marine mammals, unusual and typical birds of the area along with pointing out the spectacular scenery of Johnstone Strait, the body of water we would be spending the entire day cruising through.
In preparation for our afternoon destination we would have a morning talk on Northwest Coast Art and Culture. Our naturalist, Sharon Grainger would take us on a visual journey, outlining the interconnected relationships of First Nations people with the dramatic scenery that is their home. This relationship is expressed through the distinctive art of the area….form line design tells the stories of origin and great connections to the supernatural and physical world through the expression of regalia, song and dance.
The Sea Lion continued moving north entering Blackfish Sound just before lunch. The day remained gorgeous as we continued our search for marine life. Soon we were rewarded with a sighting of Pacific White-sided dolphins. They appeared to be quite busy foraging for fish in these cold and abundant waters. Our second mate Adam made several maneuvers and with great success brought these very curious dolphins all around our bow. Just below the surface, we could see dolphins beautifully patterned in black, white and gray. They seemed to be just as curious about us as we were about them. All too soon we needed to return to our midday meal, just as the dolphins returned to their foraging…a few animals jumped and twisted in the air, as if to say goodbye as the Sea Lion pulled away heading for Cormorant Island and the First Nations community of Alert Bay.
Our first stop after lunch would be the U’Mista Cultural Center. This museum, also called a “Box of Treasures” houses a collection of regalia including coppers, many masks, and other important cultural objects that were confiscated during a potlatch in 1921. These very important cultural items remained in the position of the Canadian government until the 1970’s when the First Nations people of Alert Bay began petitions to have these pieces returned. In order to have their regalia returned, the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations had to provide a museum to house their treasures. “In earlier days, people and objects were sometimes taken captive by raiding parties. When they returned to their homes, either through payment of ransom or by a retaliatory raid, they were said to have u’mista.” The building of this museum before the return of regalia was considered a form of u’mista.
Once inside the museum we were invited into the lower section of the building for an interpretive walk through the returned potlatch regalia. Lillian Hunt, a long time member of Alert Bay walked us through the pieces in order of their presentation during a potlatch, adding myth and allowing the masks to dance in our imaginations…
From the museum we walked through the southern part of the community of Alert Bay making our way to the Big House. Here, we were greeted by leader Andrea Cranmer with her sister Barbara and mother Vera of a local dance group. Their name translated into English, means “To Be Determined.” During the next hour we were gifted with an exhibition of traditional dances. Amongst Native peoples children are considered our greatest resource, and watching three-year-old boys and girls learning from their sisters, brothers, aunties and uncles was delightful. The dancers, drummers and singers filled the house in a visual and auditory feast! As the button blankets twirled around the central fire, we could only imagine the same dances in similar Big Houses moving through time creating a continuum from the past and leading into the future. As the children danced with their parents and relatives, the eldest member of Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations stood, smiling acknowledging her pride at seeing her cultural traditions carried forward. Auntie Ethel, has been dancing for 90 of her 93 years, and as she said after the dances were complete, “I am so proud to see the dances I have taught my daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters continue…it brings joy to my heart.”
