Alert Bay, British Columbia
Early morning found the Sea Lion moving north through Johnstone Strait. Blue skies and light breezes greeted us all as we made our way to the bow for a morning of cruising. The tides were with us, helping push our vessel at a comfortably quick speed north towards our afternoon destination of Alert Bay. During the late morning we passed by Robson’s Bight, a known rubbing beach for killer whales. All possible eyes watched carefully as we passed, but all the waters gave us were sea birds, harbor porpoise and dalls porpoise, but no large “black and whites,” one of the many nicknames for killer whales.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. the Sea Lion made a right-hand turn and headed into Blackfish Sound, a beautiful passage that winds its way through a watery maze of islands and fjords. In preparation for our afternoon visit to Alert Bay we were taking our vessel into a lovely small bay that faced the ancient community of Mammalilaculla on Village Island. As we approached the white shell beach, we began to see the old wooden houses and a set of house posts from the old Big House. Representing the old, the house posts reminded us of the many village sights that once existed in this area of the Northwest Coast. Representing the new were the weathered gray boards of wooden houses from the early 1900s…those later First Nations family members had brought in Lilac trees that were in full bloom, and overgrown hanging down onto the beach. Our Officer staff on the bridge maneuvered the Sea Lion expertly for a close view of Mammalilaculla, while stories were told from the bow about the original inhabitants of this village and island.
Once our ship began its departure from Village Island, we were invited into the forward lounge for a presentation on Northwest Coast art and culture. Naturalist Sharon Grainger would take us on a visual journey, outlining the interconnected relationships of First Nations people with the dramatic scenery that is their home. This relationship is expressed through the distinctive art of the area, called form line design. The stories of origin, tell of the very first interaction between the supernatural creatures and individual family members…all expressed through carved and painted art, regalia and dance.
The Sea Lion continued her cruise, heading north towards the town of Alert Bay located on Cormorant Island, near the northern end of Vancouver Island and the southern end of Queen Charlotte Sound. As our lunch was served, the ship made her way into the government dock, tying up and preparing a gangway for departure. The customary announcements were made at the end of lunch, and we divided into two groups…one group enjoying a hike at Gator Gardens, the other group making their way to the U’Mista Cultural Center. This museum, also called the “Box of Treasures,” houses a collection of regalia including coppers, many masks, and other important cultural objects that were confiscated during a potlatch in 1921. These very important cultural items remained in the position of the Canadian government until the 1970s when the First Nations people of Alert Bay began petitions to have these pieces returned. In order to have their regalia returned, the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations had to provide a museum to house their treasures. “In earlier days, people and objects were sometimes taken captive by raiding parties. When they returned to their homes, either through payment of ransom or by a retaliatory raid, they were said to have u’mista.” The building of this museum before the return of regailia was considered a form of u’mista.
Inside the museum we were invited into the lower section of the building for an interpretive walk through the returned potlatch regalia. Tribal member Lillian Hunt walked us through the pieces in order of their presentation during a potlatch, adding a touch of humor and myth allowing the masks to dance in our imaginations.
At 3:30pm the entire compliment of guests and staff from the Sea Lion made their way to the Big House, the central building and cultural focal point of the First Nations community in Alert Bay. Here we were greeted by Andrea Cranmer and her mother Vera Cranmer. After the customary welcome in Kwakwalla, Vera expressed her joy and gratitude for our visit to her childhood home on Village Island. During the next hour we were gifted with a presentation of several dances. The dance group who’s translated English name means “To Be Determined,” ranged in ages of eight months, one year to several four year olds, young teens, mothers, uncles, aunties and several elders. The dancers, drummers and singers filled the house with a visual and auditory feast! As the button blankets twirled around the central fire, we could only imagine the same dances in similar Big Houses moving through time, creating a continuum from the past leading into the future. Amongst all Native peoples, children are considered the greatest resource, and today in the Big House of Alert Bay we were all moved by the obvious importance and status these children held…by family members present, out in the community and most definitely in the way they touched our hearts. Gilakask’a (Thank you).
Early morning found the Sea Lion moving north through Johnstone Strait. Blue skies and light breezes greeted us all as we made our way to the bow for a morning of cruising. The tides were with us, helping push our vessel at a comfortably quick speed north towards our afternoon destination of Alert Bay. During the late morning we passed by Robson’s Bight, a known rubbing beach for killer whales. All possible eyes watched carefully as we passed, but all the waters gave us were sea birds, harbor porpoise and dalls porpoise, but no large “black and whites,” one of the many nicknames for killer whales.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. the Sea Lion made a right-hand turn and headed into Blackfish Sound, a beautiful passage that winds its way through a watery maze of islands and fjords. In preparation for our afternoon visit to Alert Bay we were taking our vessel into a lovely small bay that faced the ancient community of Mammalilaculla on Village Island. As we approached the white shell beach, we began to see the old wooden houses and a set of house posts from the old Big House. Representing the old, the house posts reminded us of the many village sights that once existed in this area of the Northwest Coast. Representing the new were the weathered gray boards of wooden houses from the early 1900s…those later First Nations family members had brought in Lilac trees that were in full bloom, and overgrown hanging down onto the beach. Our Officer staff on the bridge maneuvered the Sea Lion expertly for a close view of Mammalilaculla, while stories were told from the bow about the original inhabitants of this village and island.
Once our ship began its departure from Village Island, we were invited into the forward lounge for a presentation on Northwest Coast art and culture. Naturalist Sharon Grainger would take us on a visual journey, outlining the interconnected relationships of First Nations people with the dramatic scenery that is their home. This relationship is expressed through the distinctive art of the area, called form line design. The stories of origin, tell of the very first interaction between the supernatural creatures and individual family members…all expressed through carved and painted art, regalia and dance.
The Sea Lion continued her cruise, heading north towards the town of Alert Bay located on Cormorant Island, near the northern end of Vancouver Island and the southern end of Queen Charlotte Sound. As our lunch was served, the ship made her way into the government dock, tying up and preparing a gangway for departure. The customary announcements were made at the end of lunch, and we divided into two groups…one group enjoying a hike at Gator Gardens, the other group making their way to the U’Mista Cultural Center. This museum, also called the “Box of Treasures,” houses a collection of regalia including coppers, many masks, and other important cultural objects that were confiscated during a potlatch in 1921. These very important cultural items remained in the position of the Canadian government until the 1970s when the First Nations people of Alert Bay began petitions to have these pieces returned. In order to have their regalia returned, the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations had to provide a museum to house their treasures. “In earlier days, people and objects were sometimes taken captive by raiding parties. When they returned to their homes, either through payment of ransom or by a retaliatory raid, they were said to have u’mista.” The building of this museum before the return of regailia was considered a form of u’mista.
Inside the museum we were invited into the lower section of the building for an interpretive walk through the returned potlatch regalia. Tribal member Lillian Hunt walked us through the pieces in order of their presentation during a potlatch, adding a touch of humor and myth allowing the masks to dance in our imaginations.
At 3:30pm the entire compliment of guests and staff from the Sea Lion made their way to the Big House, the central building and cultural focal point of the First Nations community in Alert Bay. Here we were greeted by Andrea Cranmer and her mother Vera Cranmer. After the customary welcome in Kwakwalla, Vera expressed her joy and gratitude for our visit to her childhood home on Village Island. During the next hour we were gifted with a presentation of several dances. The dance group who’s translated English name means “To Be Determined,” ranged in ages of eight months, one year to several four year olds, young teens, mothers, uncles, aunties and several elders. The dancers, drummers and singers filled the house with a visual and auditory feast! As the button blankets twirled around the central fire, we could only imagine the same dances in similar Big Houses moving through time, creating a continuum from the past leading into the future. Amongst all Native peoples, children are considered the greatest resource, and today in the Big House of Alert Bay we were all moved by the obvious importance and status these children held…by family members present, out in the community and most definitely in the way they touched our hearts. Gilakask’a (Thank you).
