Johnstone Straight & Alert Bay
Having made it through Seymour Narrows and over the famed Ripple Rock, we awoke to a backdrop of light fog that seemed surreal and compelling, as the outline of islands and mountains slipped by. Passing through Johnstone Strait this a.m., we kept an eye out for marine mammals and sited both harbor and Dall’s porpoises. Later, the Zodiacs were lowered to explore nearby islands and particularly the ruins of an ancient village, no longer inhabited by one of the eighteen original tribes of the First Nation Peoples.
The afternoon provided the real treasure. The sun came out for a short walk to the cultural center named U’mista on Alert Bay, which houses one of the finest collections of elaborately carved ceremonial masks, depicting the Potlatch Ceremony of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation. A local guide walked us through the many artful treasures telling of their meaning and significance, while many remain unknown. An in-depth video showed how their culture was nearly destroyed when in the late 1800’s, the Canadian Government forbade their participation in this important ceremony of oral tradition, celebration, and the foundation of their social life. Children and adults were re-located in an attempt to mainstream them into the white culture, some jailed for their native practices, and the artifacts confiscated! Having been returned, the culture seems to have survived and is in some ways thriving as evidenced by their pride in building and maintaining the museum and the cultural show for us in their striking “Big House.” This is a huge open building used for ceremony and performances, and decorated with large impressive totems on each side.
A welcoming bonfire in the center of the “house” gave off a warm ambiance and filled the large room with an orange-like glow as we took seats on bleachers in anticipation. Our narrator, a native woman from the Namgis band, spoke of the meaning and significance of each dance, performed by tribal members young and old. Our eyes feasted on elaborate costumes as they whirled and twirled in the round, re-enacting events and activities that give meaning and shape their lives. Hunting, fishing, canoeing and honoring of animals and the seasons were depicted in mesmerizing dances, accompanied by singers, drummers and young boys with rattles. The theme for some of the costumes was an honoring of the cedar tree and bark (tseyha) on their headpieces, and for the finale, we were all invited to join in and dance around the fire to a peace dance, or tlasula.
Their generosity and graciousness culminated in serving up wild salmon and fry bread, topped off with three local fruit jams. Some of the dancers were available for personal interactions and up close pictures of their elaborate button coats. I returned to the Sea Lion filled with appreciation of them as artists and a courageous people, gaining strength and pride through their culture and traditions, and fortunate for us, being willing to sharing a bit of it with us today! The true meaning of gyilakasla!
Having made it through Seymour Narrows and over the famed Ripple Rock, we awoke to a backdrop of light fog that seemed surreal and compelling, as the outline of islands and mountains slipped by. Passing through Johnstone Strait this a.m., we kept an eye out for marine mammals and sited both harbor and Dall’s porpoises. Later, the Zodiacs were lowered to explore nearby islands and particularly the ruins of an ancient village, no longer inhabited by one of the eighteen original tribes of the First Nation Peoples.
The afternoon provided the real treasure. The sun came out for a short walk to the cultural center named U’mista on Alert Bay, which houses one of the finest collections of elaborately carved ceremonial masks, depicting the Potlatch Ceremony of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation. A local guide walked us through the many artful treasures telling of their meaning and significance, while many remain unknown. An in-depth video showed how their culture was nearly destroyed when in the late 1800’s, the Canadian Government forbade their participation in this important ceremony of oral tradition, celebration, and the foundation of their social life. Children and adults were re-located in an attempt to mainstream them into the white culture, some jailed for their native practices, and the artifacts confiscated! Having been returned, the culture seems to have survived and is in some ways thriving as evidenced by their pride in building and maintaining the museum and the cultural show for us in their striking “Big House.” This is a huge open building used for ceremony and performances, and decorated with large impressive totems on each side.
A welcoming bonfire in the center of the “house” gave off a warm ambiance and filled the large room with an orange-like glow as we took seats on bleachers in anticipation. Our narrator, a native woman from the Namgis band, spoke of the meaning and significance of each dance, performed by tribal members young and old. Our eyes feasted on elaborate costumes as they whirled and twirled in the round, re-enacting events and activities that give meaning and shape their lives. Hunting, fishing, canoeing and honoring of animals and the seasons were depicted in mesmerizing dances, accompanied by singers, drummers and young boys with rattles. The theme for some of the costumes was an honoring of the cedar tree and bark (tseyha) on their headpieces, and for the finale, we were all invited to join in and dance around the fire to a peace dance, or tlasula.
Their generosity and graciousness culminated in serving up wild salmon and fry bread, topped off with three local fruit jams. Some of the dancers were available for personal interactions and up close pictures of their elaborate button coats. I returned to the Sea Lion filled with appreciation of them as artists and a courageous people, gaining strength and pride through their culture and traditions, and fortunate for us, being willing to sharing a bit of it with us today! The true meaning of gyilakasla!
