The National Geographic Sea Lion continued her southerly journey out of Queen Charlotte Sound into Johnstone Strait with Vancouver Island on our right and a myriad of small islands along with the mainland of British Columbia on our left. We were heading toward our morning destination of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island, just off of the northeast corner of Vancouver Island. This small community is the home to the Namgis band of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation.
Our wake-up call found the Sea Lion shrouded in a deep marine layer common in the early days of fall. The mists only added mystique to a unique community of people, following many ancient traditional ways while carrying those into the future. Just after breakfast, many of us walked a short distance into the fog to photograph a set of totem poles that are part of the Namgis Burial Grounds. Repacking our cameras, we then boarded a van or enjoyed a mile walk along the waterfront making our way to the U’mista Cultural Center located at the north end of town. The U’mista Cultural Center suffered fire damage recently. Fortunately the bulk of the damage was due to smoke and water from a sprinkler system. The staff had rearranged several of the galleries and created an education space for our group to hear and see a small portion of a very important potlatch collection.
Opened in 1980, the center houses regalia from a potlatch given by Dan Cranmer in 1921. This potlatch was considered the largest in written history and continued for many days and included giveaways of items such as pool tables, motor skiffs, blankets, many bags of flour and sugar, fine handmade northwest coast jewelry, and pieces of carving. The potlatch was raided by the Canadian government as potlatching was illegal at the time. Potlatch regalia were confiscated and 44 people were arrested and jailed. The people of Alert Bay never forgot the loss of such important regalia and began petitioning Ottawa for the return of these treasures in the 1960s. The government responded by saying, “You must build a museum to house such a fine collection before we will return what we have.” Among the Kwakwaka’wakw, during times of war, a ransom is often paid for the return of property or family. In the Kwak’wala language the word for payment of ransom is U’mista. The U’mista Cultural Center continues to work toward repatriating many of the lost and/or stolen pieces of regalia from around the world. As each piece is returned, elders of the community come in, smile and say, “We are filling our box of treasures.”
After an extended tour of the galleries and a showing of several potlatch pieces kept in the storage areas of the U’mista, our group made its way a short distance to the traditional Gukwdzi or Big House for a presentation by a youth group called the T’sasala Cultural Group. This large group of young people and their teachers and elders shared dances from the Cedar Bark and Peace ceremonies of a traditional potlatch. As one elder danced across the floor of the Big House, our group stood to show respect for Vera’s many years, teaching her daughters and so many young First Nations of Alert Bay the importance not just of traditional ways and origins but that children are the greatest resource and from that beginning the world will open ... allowing a home, as Alert Bay is to always be there.
The last dance was a fun dance where we, as guests and witnesses, could join in several circles around the central fire, laughing, smiling and being a part of this great continuum of culture. As is customary we were feasted with traditionally cooked salmon, banoc, and homemade jams! Salmon on our hands, jam still lingering in our mouths, we made our way back through the community of Alert Bay to the Sea Lion.
As we sat down to a light lunch, our vessel’s engines started up and slowly we moved away from the Government dock and continued our journey south down Johnstone Strait. As lunch was finishing an announcement came from the bow: a very large group of Pacific white-sided dolphins had been spotted! More than 300 animals were frolicking in ideal conditions—blue skies, light air, and gorgeous light! We could hear many animal breaths and watch their leaps in the air. As the Sea Lion turned and maneuvered, many a dolphin came in close and rode our ship’s wake. Cameras were firing off thousands of frames...and many of us still riding a wave of the friendship extended in Alert Bay, said only, “What a lovely cap to our day!”
Watchful eyes remained on the bow of the Sea Lion as we headed south and sure enough, just a short time later, small blows were spotted some distance from the ship. Killer whales were sighted! As if calling back to the supernatural treasure or Dlugwe danced in the Big House, we remembered the killer whale mask circling the central fire. Looking out over the starboard side of the Sea Lion we watched the closing light of the day glinting off the dorsal fins of nine killer whales in their home waters of Johnstone Strait.
Spirit of Peace
To thy cause we give our strength
That love may reign and war may cease.
