Johnstone Strait & Alert Bay
At sunrise this morning the National Geographic Sea Lion continued cruising north in Johnstone Strait, moving through Current Passage just off of Helmcken Island. This narrow body of water is well known for swiftly flowing currents and extremely nutrient rich waters, which brings in a great diversity of animals all feeding in the rich waters of Johnstone Strait. Our morning was spent searching for marine mammals, birds, and watching the changing light in clouds and on water. The ship ducked into Beaver Cove on Vancouver Island to explore a small logging community and to get just a little closer to what appeared to be hundreds of Bald eagles sitting in the surrounding trees.
In the late morning our photo instructor and naturalist, Sharon Grainger, brought everyone into the lounge for a talk on Northwest Coast people, culture and art. Through photographic imagery Sharon took us all on a journey into the rich and dramatic landscape of the Northwest Coast that has been populated with many diverse and different First Nations for thousands of years. We learned about the connection between landscape, art and tools all providing the perfect materials and a natural backdrop for the foundation of a complex social and cultural system and an extremely unique art form called form line design.
Just after lunch we arrived in the community of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. Alert Bay is an old and continuing village site and home to the Nimpkish band of the Kwakwaka’wakw people. We would be hosted by the Nimpkish people for our entire afternoon giving ample time to explore this small village and enjoy a chance to learn and celebrate with the local Nimpkish people. Our first stop was the U’mista Cultural center about one mile from the Government dock where the National Geographic Sea Lion would remain tied up for the remainder of the day. Some of us decided to walk while a small group took advantage of transportation provided by the cultural center. Once our groups arrived, we were split into two groups and half of our group entered the lower area of the museum for a guided tour through the Potlatch Exhibit. These pieces were taken from Village Island near Alert Bay in 1921, when a Cranmer family potlatch was raided by the Canadian government. Eventually in the late 1970’s the First Nations of Alert Bay petitioned the government for the return of those potlatch pieces...the response from the Canadian government was: ‘build a museum adequate to hold these potlatch pieces, and we will return them to you.” U’mista means ransom in the Kwakwala language; so following tradition the First Nations of Alert Bay paid a ransom for the return of their regalia and to this day those very important pieces represent a, “box of treasures,” which is what the elders of Alert Bay affectionately called the U’mista Cultural Center.
Once our tour was finished our group made their way to the east side of the island where the traditional gukwdzi or Big House is situated. A large fire was lit in the center of the house and here we were hosted by the T’sasla Cultural Group. Introductions were made by Andrea Cranmer one of the founders of the group and then a series of dances were presented to give us an idea of what an actual potlatch might be like. As is the custom in the Northwest Coast we were not just guests but also witnesses to traditional dances, songs and storytelling. T’sasala means to be determined, and as the first very young members of this dance group presented a welcome dance we understood, the Native tradition that holds children as their greatest resource and elders as the teachers who are passing forward the cultural ways of the Kwakaka’wakw. As the afternoon progressed sunshine entered through the smoke hole in the top of the house sending a soft smoke laden shaft of light down on the dancers as they circled the central fire. The last dance of the afternoon was a fun dance, and nearly every guest present was on the main floor of the Big House dancing with our hosts. It was truly a visual feast of drummers, singers and dancers all laughing, smiling and reminding us all of the continuum of culture among the First Nations of Alert Bay, so rich and present and most important, moving forward towards the future.
