I am cheating a little here because my Daily Expedition Report really starts last night after dinner. Last night in the still dark night air a small band of us gathered on sundeck to practice making images in low-light situations. The idea was to prepare us for photographing the incredible dancers of the Namgis tribe in Alert Bay. The T’sasala Cultural Group would be performing in a traditional big house and the light would be filtering in from a large vent in the center of the building. It was a great time complete with music and dance models to help us get ready for today’s activities. It was nice to have the time to laugh at our antics because today’s experience given to us by the T’sasala Group was nothing to laugh about; it was quite moving and inspirational.
Before the dancers, we visited the U’Mista Cultural Center. The Center is more a living interpretive center than a museum. Our guide explained how the people wanted to make sure that visitors understood that the culture the exhibits represented were still living, and not remnants of a lost people. This was especially brought home by the fact the cultural center stands next to the remains of the residential school where First Nation children were kept essentially as prisoners. The skeleton of the building was garnished with banners with information about the so called school. I was almost about to write that the cultural center was built in the shadows of the old school, but thinking about our expedition, and all that we saw, I remembered the forests where old trees dead and rotting, supplied the nourishment for new saplings growing in the light their passing provided. Like new saplings the cultural center has brought new life to both the community and the culture of the Namgis people.
At the big house, we are privileged to have a small window into tribal life and customs. The songs and dances tell stories, resolve conflicts, and pass along the history of the people. The gatherings, or potlatch’s are cornerstones of tribal life, and participating in one is a genuine cultural experience for us all. At the end, we are treated to fresh salmon, fry-bread, and an assortment of homemade jams made from local berries.
