Even though the weather featured sprinkles of rain, most of our guests walked to the Big House of Alert Bay. Along the way, we were able to see some of this small community and what life is like for the local people. The village has a population of about 3,000, of which most are of native descent.
Probably the most important building in the community is the beautiful Big House. This is the gathering place for special meetings and potlatches. The old Big House was destroyed in 1997 by a terrible fire. The new building has been built as closely as possible as a copy of the old one. Inside the open chamber, with huge logs for beams, is an amazing and awesome structure. While we sat on wooden benches around the central floor, we were treated to a number of traditional dances by some of the local children, who are both learning and proudly living their heritage.
