Alert Bay, Johnstone Strait
As the sun rose this morning, the Sea Lion continued cruising southeast in Queen Charlotte Sound, headed for our morning destination of Alert Bay. Located on Cormorant Island, Alert Bay is home to the Namgis people of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. Our morning would be spent as guests, invited to share and learn some of the important cultural aspects of these First Nation peoples of British Columbia.
As soon as the Sea Lion was secured we walked to the U’mista Cultural Center at the north end of town. Opened in 1980, this cultural center houses one of the finest collections of elaborately carved masks and regalia of the Potlatch Ceremony. The collection houses the repatriated Potlatch regalia confiscated by the Canadian government in 1921 from a ceremony on Village Island. The nearby and closely tied community of Alert Bay never forgot the loss of these valuables and in the 1960’s petitions began from Alert Bay to Ottawa to return these Potlatch objects. The Canadian government stipulated a condition for the return of these items - the building of a museum to house them. Among the Kwakwaka’wakw a ransom can be paid for the return of items or captives taken in a raid. In the Kwak’wala language the word for payment of ransom of those returned items is U’mista. Hence the U’mista Cultural Center was built and named, and, often affectionately referred to, as the “box of treasures.” On our tour of the center Lillian Hunt explained the significance of each piece and its history and placement within the potlatch ceremony. At the end of our tour of U’mista we were gifted with several songs sung in Kwak’wala by Pewee Alfred. As a small child Pewee was exposed and immersed in the culture of her people. She learned language, story and song through her grandmother, and was recognized as a gifted singer very young. Soft lighting, masks, and shadows, along with the smell of cedar surrounded Pewee as she filled the room with her voice.
Our next stop in Alert Bay was the gukwdzi or Big House where the T’sasala Cultural Group would share traditional dances, songs and story telling. After being welcomed by the eldest member and chief in the group the drum log in the back of the Big House signaled the beginning of dance! During the next forty minutes a series of dances from the Cedar Bark and Peace ceremonies were presented. T’sasala means to be determined, and as we watched school children come out onto the floor of the Big House, we understood the Native tradition that holds children as our greatest resource. At the end of the dancing, gifts were exchanged between Chiefs and Captains marking another successful year shared between the community of Alert Bay and Lindblad Expeditions. As is the custom in Alert Bay we were feasted with fresh caught and traditionally prepared sockeye salmon, clam cakes, salads, banoc and home made jams.
All to soon it was time to return to the Sea Lion and continue our journey south amidst the many islands of Johnstone Strait. Out of the mists we heard the sounds of killer whales as they surfaced, continuing their movements in the silvery waters. The clouds had settled on the water, with thin veils lacing around the trees at the waters edge of each island. It had been a day to savor, a visual feast.
As the Sea Lion resumed her southerly voyage we gathered on the bow and remembered a day five years ago by passing an eagle feather amongst us. With our thoughts and wishes on that feather we asked our eldest member to release our feather onto the sea.
Spirit of Peace
To thy cause we give our strength
That love may reign and war may cease
As the sun rose this morning, the Sea Lion continued cruising southeast in Queen Charlotte Sound, headed for our morning destination of Alert Bay. Located on Cormorant Island, Alert Bay is home to the Namgis people of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. Our morning would be spent as guests, invited to share and learn some of the important cultural aspects of these First Nation peoples of British Columbia.
As soon as the Sea Lion was secured we walked to the U’mista Cultural Center at the north end of town. Opened in 1980, this cultural center houses one of the finest collections of elaborately carved masks and regalia of the Potlatch Ceremony. The collection houses the repatriated Potlatch regalia confiscated by the Canadian government in 1921 from a ceremony on Village Island. The nearby and closely tied community of Alert Bay never forgot the loss of these valuables and in the 1960’s petitions began from Alert Bay to Ottawa to return these Potlatch objects. The Canadian government stipulated a condition for the return of these items - the building of a museum to house them. Among the Kwakwaka’wakw a ransom can be paid for the return of items or captives taken in a raid. In the Kwak’wala language the word for payment of ransom of those returned items is U’mista. Hence the U’mista Cultural Center was built and named, and, often affectionately referred to, as the “box of treasures.” On our tour of the center Lillian Hunt explained the significance of each piece and its history and placement within the potlatch ceremony. At the end of our tour of U’mista we were gifted with several songs sung in Kwak’wala by Pewee Alfred. As a small child Pewee was exposed and immersed in the culture of her people. She learned language, story and song through her grandmother, and was recognized as a gifted singer very young. Soft lighting, masks, and shadows, along with the smell of cedar surrounded Pewee as she filled the room with her voice.
Our next stop in Alert Bay was the gukwdzi or Big House where the T’sasala Cultural Group would share traditional dances, songs and story telling. After being welcomed by the eldest member and chief in the group the drum log in the back of the Big House signaled the beginning of dance! During the next forty minutes a series of dances from the Cedar Bark and Peace ceremonies were presented. T’sasala means to be determined, and as we watched school children come out onto the floor of the Big House, we understood the Native tradition that holds children as our greatest resource. At the end of the dancing, gifts were exchanged between Chiefs and Captains marking another successful year shared between the community of Alert Bay and Lindblad Expeditions. As is the custom in Alert Bay we were feasted with fresh caught and traditionally prepared sockeye salmon, clam cakes, salads, banoc and home made jams.
All to soon it was time to return to the Sea Lion and continue our journey south amidst the many islands of Johnstone Strait. Out of the mists we heard the sounds of killer whales as they surfaced, continuing their movements in the silvery waters. The clouds had settled on the water, with thin veils lacing around the trees at the waters edge of each island. It had been a day to savor, a visual feast.
As the Sea Lion resumed her southerly voyage we gathered on the bow and remembered a day five years ago by passing an eagle feather amongst us. With our thoughts and wishes on that feather we asked our eldest member to release our feather onto the sea.
Spirit of Peace
To thy cause we give our strength
That love may reign and war may cease
