Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Through the night our small expedition ship has been breaking through barriers of all kinds; a new country (Canada), a new time zone (Pacific Standard), a new region (The Great Bear Rain Forest), and a new culture for us to experience (The Tsimsian People of British Columbia). Our day began even earlier than we might have liked as each of us had set our clocks one hour forward for our time zone change and, due to our Canadian Customs appointment, our usual breakfast time was advanced a half hour even further. In the end it was all a perfect excuse to rise before first light and catch the crimson red of a most glorious sunrise just as we pulled alongside the Atlin Terminal in Prince Rupert.
After a scrumptious breakfast our group was welcomed at the Museum of Northern British Columbia by Samson Bryant, from the clan of the raven, house of the frog. His Tsimsian name translates to “killer whale, by himself, far out in the ocean.” Along with three young Tsimsian guides he gave an enlightening glimpse into early Tsimsian life here along the coast of the rain forest. Armed with our new-found knowledge about the Tsimsian people (and properly assigned to our own animal clans) we were then welcomed into the long house for a re-creation of a traditional feast ceremony. Samson asked us all to try and imagine ourselves transported back to an earlier time as if we were actually at a huge feast, surrounded by visiting clans from many different nations all over this part of Canada.
Under the protection of sacred eagle down sprinkled from our hosts’ headdress, even our worst enemies would be afforded peace here in the long house. The undulations of the dancers, the throbbing beat of the drums, and the sounds of deer hoof adornments on bright and beautiful regalia all helped to complete the transformation. Samson and the Gwis’amhilgigoohl dancers were so convincing that for a short period we were all transported across the greatest barriers of all; time and place. Apparitions of former dancers in a not-to-be-forgotten past manifested themselves in the guise of our new found young friends. This is the Tsimsian gift we will all take into the future.
Through the night our small expedition ship has been breaking through barriers of all kinds; a new country (Canada), a new time zone (Pacific Standard), a new region (The Great Bear Rain Forest), and a new culture for us to experience (The Tsimsian People of British Columbia). Our day began even earlier than we might have liked as each of us had set our clocks one hour forward for our time zone change and, due to our Canadian Customs appointment, our usual breakfast time was advanced a half hour even further. In the end it was all a perfect excuse to rise before first light and catch the crimson red of a most glorious sunrise just as we pulled alongside the Atlin Terminal in Prince Rupert.
After a scrumptious breakfast our group was welcomed at the Museum of Northern British Columbia by Samson Bryant, from the clan of the raven, house of the frog. His Tsimsian name translates to “killer whale, by himself, far out in the ocean.” Along with three young Tsimsian guides he gave an enlightening glimpse into early Tsimsian life here along the coast of the rain forest. Armed with our new-found knowledge about the Tsimsian people (and properly assigned to our own animal clans) we were then welcomed into the long house for a re-creation of a traditional feast ceremony. Samson asked us all to try and imagine ourselves transported back to an earlier time as if we were actually at a huge feast, surrounded by visiting clans from many different nations all over this part of Canada.
Under the protection of sacred eagle down sprinkled from our hosts’ headdress, even our worst enemies would be afforded peace here in the long house. The undulations of the dancers, the throbbing beat of the drums, and the sounds of deer hoof adornments on bright and beautiful regalia all helped to complete the transformation. Samson and the Gwis’amhilgigoohl dancers were so convincing that for a short period we were all transported across the greatest barriers of all; time and place. Apparitions of former dancers in a not-to-be-forgotten past manifested themselves in the guise of our new found young friends. This is the Tsimsian gift we will all take into the future.
