Pole raising
It all started a few days ago. It was during math 10 that I heard the announcement. The principal was doing the morning announcements and mentioned that on Thurdays, the entire school would be going over to the pole carver's house instead of afternoon classes to attend the pole raising ceremony. I got pretty excited. Then the principal reminded the students that they should bring their regalia to school to wear for the ceremony. I was ecstatic. Then she mentioned that there will be a feast following the ceremony, followed by dancing.
The principal finished the announcements and I couldn't hold back my excitement. I started shooting questions to the students. My first was about the regalia. I'm familiar with the term because I've worn some since I've graduated from both high school and university. But I was curious what exactly it was. The students told me it's usually a blanket worn as a cape with a skirt for girls, and a vest or tunic for boys. The chiefs wear headresses too. I was totally excited.
I started gushing about the feast and dancing too. I asked the students what kind of dancing. They replied traditional, of course. I was beside myself. I was so excited to attend! The students were looking at me like I was a bit crazy at first, but the were all grinning from ear to ear at my enthusiasm. I could see the pride in their eyes when I just started gushing about how cool this would be.
It's been absolutely dumping rain here for the last couple of days but for some reason (which I think is beyond coincident) it stopped raining for the ceremony. The announcement was made for us all to head over to the pole carver's house, where each teacher would lead their literacy class.
Directions in this town are all told by where people live. Example: I wanted to go to the video store last week. I was told it was Jaimie's Uncle Charlie's house. Ok, where is that? It's on the south end of town. Ok, how do I get there? Ok you go down to the general store, then hang a left. Head down the street past Martha Joes' house. Once you see Ken Moon's house, you're only two houses away. If you hit Linda Red's house you've gone too far. Hmm, too bad I only know where the teacher's live and like 5 community members. I will learn.
Anyway, needless to say the class lead me to the pole carver's house. Almost the entire community was there. The ceremony started when the chiefs arrived ... fashionably late of course. First, some grade eleven and twelve students carried the totem pole out of the carver's garage and put the totem on some crates in the road. There were some words and then the chiefs blessed the totem by sprinkling eagle down on the pole and by tapping it with birch boughs. All the time while the singers sang and played drums.
The boys carry the pole. Two of them are my students, Eric and Brian.
Once that was done, the boys picked the pole back up and we all headed over to the Elder's Hall to erect the totem. Once there, there were more words said in both English and the native language here. The chiefs did a little dance, and then the boys pulled the pole into place. It was then screwed into place with a trusty Black & Decker electric drill.
The chiefs right before the totem went up
The totem going up
A couple hours later, the community went to The Hall for the feast and dancing. First, all the community members sat down. Members with distinction sat at the front of the hall. I sat in the bleachers with some other teachers. Next, the family of the pole carver entered and sat at the front. Finally, the chiefs came from behind a curtain in the front, and did the Chiefs Dance to welcome everyone. This dance is way cool. All the chiefs are elders and man, can these guys dance up a storm. If you just saw these guys in the village, you'd never know they could move like that! After that, some community members came out carring pictures of family members (two happened to be students of mine) that are no longer with us, who passed away over the last few years. The families of these people were blessed and told that we are all thinking of these members and wished they were with us today.
The Chiefs Dance (I'm in the background of this shot, in the top, left corner)
Next, some of the women got up and did the Ladies Dance. This dance was done around the feast food as a blessing to the food. After that, we all said a prayer (said by the United Church's female pastor). Then we all lined up to eat. The food was amazing. There were like 6 or 7 types of salmon, 3 or 4 types of halibut, deer meat, 4 or 5 types of potatoes, 3 or 4 types of pasta salad, rice and some specialty foods.
The specialty foods include herring roe. This one was prepared by deep frying it and then putting it in a vinegar, soy sauce type sauce. People love this stuff! Everyone couldn't get enough. I tried it. It's really not tasty to me ... at all. But more for everyone else, right? Another dish is a fish eggs and seaweed soup type thing. Again, I tried some off someone else's plate. Not tasty.
The most coveted food item is this stuff called grease. It's a fine delicacy that is very expensive and takes a special hand to make. People love it as a topping for rice, potatoes and fish. I heard it also cures any ailment you have. Let me tell you how it's made. Some sort of fish is left to ferment and rot in a special container. Then once it's nice and rancid, the rotten fat is scraped off the top and mixed with something else (I forget what it is). This is grease. Needless to say, I saved this for everyone else to enjoy.
My student, Eric (in the middle). He is so proud of his culture. He is a singer. He's one of the nicest students I've ever met. He will be a great man one day.
After dinner, I got one of my students to sit next to me to tell me all about what was going on. Thanks Mackenzie! There were a couple of speaches made and then gifts were brought out for the chiefs and the pole carver and then other people who helped with the whole ceremony. People who were key to the event got special vests (normal western ones) in rememberance of the day. They did a dance around the hall to show them off. Next was the money tree ceremony. A blanket was put up over an easel and community members were invited to pin up money to the pole carver for his generous contribution to the community. At quick glance, I saw about $1000 up there. I found out later that the family of the pole carver paid for the entire day, including all the gifts to everyone. They also arranged for all the food to be brought (which is through asking certain people to cook certain foods).
After the money three, the dancing started. Most of the dances are performed by the children and young people of the community. The dances were great. I really enjoyed watching them. The music of all the dances, by the way, is provided by the singers. Most of the singers are men and there is about a dozen or so of them. They sang traditions songs as well as current songs written by people of his territory. I was so proud to see some of my students dancing and two of them were even singers. Half way through the dancing, the kids were all given gifts of community bags with toys and cool little school supplies in them.
The last dance is called Celebration. Here, the singers go to the middle of the hall. This is danced by the dancers and who ever is invited. Mackenzie invited me to dance. She said she hadn't wanted to dance in the last three years but she wanted to dance this one. So we all went behind the curtain. I asked her what the moves are. She said you just swing your hands back and forth and then when the singers say "wooha" you bend to the right, left, front, then back. I had so much fun dancing. I got really into. The second part of the dance was even more fun. I saw one woman dancing with more rhythm so I followed her moves. By this time I had several of my students dancing around me. They thought it was great that I was really getting into the dancing. We were all laughing and having a great time.
I had an awesome time for the entire ceremony. I learned so much about the culture here. I can't wait for the next community event. I hear it's going to be a potlatch next month.
Today at school, one of my fellow teachers was telling me about how the students were talking about me dancing. They thought it was great fun to see me up there getting into it. Mackenzie even told Ms. So-and-So how cool it was and she was gushing about how I was having such a good time.
The principal finished the announcements and I couldn't hold back my excitement. I started shooting questions to the students. My first was about the regalia. I'm familiar with the term because I've worn some since I've graduated from both high school and university. But I was curious what exactly it was. The students told me it's usually a blanket worn as a cape with a skirt for girls, and a vest or tunic for boys. The chiefs wear headresses too. I was totally excited.
I started gushing about the feast and dancing too. I asked the students what kind of dancing. They replied traditional, of course. I was beside myself. I was so excited to attend! The students were looking at me like I was a bit crazy at first, but the were all grinning from ear to ear at my enthusiasm. I could see the pride in their eyes when I just started gushing about how cool this would be.
It's been absolutely dumping rain here for the last couple of days but for some reason (which I think is beyond coincident) it stopped raining for the ceremony. The announcement was made for us all to head over to the pole carver's house, where each teacher would lead their literacy class.
Directions in this town are all told by where people live. Example: I wanted to go to the video store last week. I was told it was Jaimie's Uncle Charlie's house. Ok, where is that? It's on the south end of town. Ok, how do I get there? Ok you go down to the general store, then hang a left. Head down the street past Martha Joes' house. Once you see Ken Moon's house, you're only two houses away. If you hit Linda Red's house you've gone too far. Hmm, too bad I only know where the teacher's live and like 5 community members. I will learn.
Anyway, needless to say the class lead me to the pole carver's house. Almost the entire community was there. The ceremony started when the chiefs arrived ... fashionably late of course. First, some grade eleven and twelve students carried the totem pole out of the carver's garage and put the totem on some crates in the road. There were some words and then the chiefs blessed the totem by sprinkling eagle down on the pole and by tapping it with birch boughs. All the time while the singers sang and played drums.
The boys carry the pole. Two of them are my students, Eric and Brian.Once that was done, the boys picked the pole back up and we all headed over to the Elder's Hall to erect the totem. Once there, there were more words said in both English and the native language here. The chiefs did a little dance, and then the boys pulled the pole into place. It was then screwed into place with a trusty Black & Decker electric drill.
The chiefs right before the totem went up
The totem going upA couple hours later, the community went to The Hall for the feast and dancing. First, all the community members sat down. Members with distinction sat at the front of the hall. I sat in the bleachers with some other teachers. Next, the family of the pole carver entered and sat at the front. Finally, the chiefs came from behind a curtain in the front, and did the Chiefs Dance to welcome everyone. This dance is way cool. All the chiefs are elders and man, can these guys dance up a storm. If you just saw these guys in the village, you'd never know they could move like that! After that, some community members came out carring pictures of family members (two happened to be students of mine) that are no longer with us, who passed away over the last few years. The families of these people were blessed and told that we are all thinking of these members and wished they were with us today.
The Chiefs Dance (I'm in the background of this shot, in the top, left corner)Next, some of the women got up and did the Ladies Dance. This dance was done around the feast food as a blessing to the food. After that, we all said a prayer (said by the United Church's female pastor). Then we all lined up to eat. The food was amazing. There were like 6 or 7 types of salmon, 3 or 4 types of halibut, deer meat, 4 or 5 types of potatoes, 3 or 4 types of pasta salad, rice and some specialty foods.
The specialty foods include herring roe. This one was prepared by deep frying it and then putting it in a vinegar, soy sauce type sauce. People love this stuff! Everyone couldn't get enough. I tried it. It's really not tasty to me ... at all. But more for everyone else, right? Another dish is a fish eggs and seaweed soup type thing. Again, I tried some off someone else's plate. Not tasty.
The most coveted food item is this stuff called grease. It's a fine delicacy that is very expensive and takes a special hand to make. People love it as a topping for rice, potatoes and fish. I heard it also cures any ailment you have. Let me tell you how it's made. Some sort of fish is left to ferment and rot in a special container. Then once it's nice and rancid, the rotten fat is scraped off the top and mixed with something else (I forget what it is). This is grease. Needless to say, I saved this for everyone else to enjoy.
My student, Eric (in the middle). He is so proud of his culture. He is a singer. He's one of the nicest students I've ever met. He will be a great man one day.After dinner, I got one of my students to sit next to me to tell me all about what was going on. Thanks Mackenzie! There were a couple of speaches made and then gifts were brought out for the chiefs and the pole carver and then other people who helped with the whole ceremony. People who were key to the event got special vests (normal western ones) in rememberance of the day. They did a dance around the hall to show them off. Next was the money tree ceremony. A blanket was put up over an easel and community members were invited to pin up money to the pole carver for his generous contribution to the community. At quick glance, I saw about $1000 up there. I found out later that the family of the pole carver paid for the entire day, including all the gifts to everyone. They also arranged for all the food to be brought (which is through asking certain people to cook certain foods).
After the money three, the dancing started. Most of the dances are performed by the children and young people of the community. The dances were great. I really enjoyed watching them. The music of all the dances, by the way, is provided by the singers. Most of the singers are men and there is about a dozen or so of them. They sang traditions songs as well as current songs written by people of his territory. I was so proud to see some of my students dancing and two of them were even singers. Half way through the dancing, the kids were all given gifts of community bags with toys and cool little school supplies in them.
The last dance is called Celebration. Here, the singers go to the middle of the hall. This is danced by the dancers and who ever is invited. Mackenzie invited me to dance. She said she hadn't wanted to dance in the last three years but she wanted to dance this one. So we all went behind the curtain. I asked her what the moves are. She said you just swing your hands back and forth and then when the singers say "wooha" you bend to the right, left, front, then back. I had so much fun dancing. I got really into. The second part of the dance was even more fun. I saw one woman dancing with more rhythm so I followed her moves. By this time I had several of my students dancing around me. They thought it was great that I was really getting into the dancing. We were all laughing and having a great time.
I had an awesome time for the entire ceremony. I learned so much about the culture here. I can't wait for the next community event. I hear it's going to be a potlatch next month.
Today at school, one of my fellow teachers was telling me about how the students were talking about me dancing. They thought it was great fun to see me up there getting into it. Mackenzie even told Ms. So-and-So how cool it was and she was gushing about how I was having such a good time.
posted by Small Town Teacher @ 11:18 PM
1 Comments:
At October 29, 2006 9:52 AM,
Vancouver Island Mommy said…
Wow! What an incredible experience! You're so lucky to get to be part of such a different culture, something that would never happen in a big city. It was great just to read about it, so I can imagine how cool it was to be there.
Post a Comment
<< Home