Our Dances and Songs
Updated June 20 2008
All images and text copyright
All images and text copyright
Here we will explain the dances and songs we perform.
Note, this page uses extended Unicode characters to display the Kwak'wala words.
'Yawitlalal Welcome Dance - This dance came to the 'Namgis tribe as a dowry, through marriage with a tribe from the West Coast. Our tribe has a trade route that is called the "Grease Trail", which connects us to the other side of Vancouver Island. Besides trade, many marriages took place with our Nuchahnulth relatives of Friendly Cove and Kyuquot.
[Hamatsa dance] Hamatsa Cannibal Dance - The Hamatsa is the highest-ranking and most sacred T'seka "Red Cedar Bark Ceremony" (Winter Ceremonies) of the Kwakwaka'wakw. The Hamatsa is the reenactment through song and dance of a young man's possession by the man-eating spirit Baxwbakwalanuksiwe', who lived at the north end of the world. Through rituals, song and dance the initiate is purified and tamed, thus, bringing him back to his human state. The Hamatsa Dancers are initiates of the Hamatsa society initiated by their families.
Tlalkwala Ladies Dance - The Kwakwaka'wakw have a Potlatch ranking order that is followed in our culture. This ranking system was established through Potlatching and warfare. During the Winter Ceremonies the host Chief will ask ladies from the various tribes to come and dance, starting with the highest ranking. The ladies wear button blankets decorated with the crests and history of their families. These blankets replaced furs and cedar-bark robes after European contact. The ladies listen to the words of the song and dance gracefully to the beat, displaying their gift of dance.
[Dzunukwa mask] Dzunuk'wa Sasquatch Dance - Dzunuk'wa is a member of the large family of giants who live in the far away mountains and woods. In most legends, she is female in character and black in color, with bushy, unkempt hair and a pursed mouth through which she utters the cry, Hu! Hu! She is a terrifying and threatening creature. She usually carries a huge basket on her back in which she puts disobedient children that she has captured, taking them to her home deep in the mountains to eat them. In some stories, fortunate children outwit her, as she is vain, dim-witted and clumsy. In another aspect of Dzunuk'wa, she is the possessor of the "Water of Life", a gift she can bestow on people lucky enough to encounter and overcome her. Her most important role is that of the bringer of wealth and good fortune.
[Wolf dance] Dlugwala Wolf Dance - This dance, also known as the "Supernatural One", imitates the wolves. In the beginning of time, a 'Namgis ancestor named T'sil'walagama'yi went to seek supernatural power. After four days and nights of fasting and cleansing, he received a powerful spiritual gift. He appeared across the Gwa'ni (Nimpkish) River facing towards his village riding on the back of a huge supernatural wolf. His tribe tied four canoes together and set out to capture him. After they had retrieved him, they paddled him home on the catamaran and then cleansed his father's house for him to share his treasure. It is said that his dance was so great that it was known throughout the coast and in all realms known to our people; it was famous.
Na'nalalal Weather Dance - The Weather Dance represents the power of the elements and the forces of nature that control our every day lives. The dance involves rapid movements of the body from left to right following the rhythms of the song. The torso is slightly tilted forward and the hands are open and upward with palms toward the front at about the height of the shoulders. The dancer wears a blanket that is ornamented with feathers and a forehead mask with a long beak projecting outwards and worn on the forehead. The dance is sometimes referred to as the "Dance of the Wind". The lively movements of the blanket are made by the dancer and imitate the winds and higher altitudes of the atmosphere. The dancer is initiated by the spirit of Baxbakwalanuksiwe'.
Tuxw'id Warrior Dance - Tuwx'id translates "The One Who Had Traveled". This ancient dance comes from the warrior spirit Winalagalis "Making War Around the World", who takes away the initiates of his dance societies and brings them around the world in his magic copper canoe. Winalagalis bestows a spiritual song on his members who on their return, chant this special song to call upon their power. In our winter ceremonies, these dancers are challenged by certain Chiefs to display their spiritual power and prove their worthiness in the gathering. The dancer will attempt to do so four times as this is the spiritual number of the Kwakwaka'wakw to show her gift from Winalagalis.
[Salmon dance] Me'dzawesu' Salmon Dance - The Salmon Dance is the dance of twins. When twins are born we believe that they are spiritual gifts from the Salmon People. This dance is the birthright of all twins and is danced to celebrate the uniqueness of twins and the greatest of our resources, the salmon. The dancers carry feathers representing twins and the dancers jump during the song imitating the salmon during their life cycle while at sea.
Am'lala Play Song - To celebrate the completion of special events, we have play songs that are fun and less serious. Everyone is welcome to join in. The "Grease Trail Song" comes from the 'Namgis and is shared with our Mowachaht relatives of Friendly Cove. This song reaffirms our connection with them, through our Grease Trail. We invite our guests to come and participate, to symbolically walk to the other side of our world, the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Halakas'lak'ala Farewell Song - This ancient song is said to be thousands of years old. It came to the people of Knight Inlet from a mountain people believed to be from the interior of British Columbia. The story tells of a tribe that came down into the valley of Knight Inlet. These people befriended the inlet people and shared many songs. When these people tried to return to their home over the mountains and glaciers, the weather was not in their favor and they were caught in bad weather. Sadly, the whole tribe died. All that remained was the beautiful songs that they had left behind. This song eventually included Kwak'wala in it, was transferred through marriage to the Lawitsis "Turnour Island" people, who own it today.
Note, this page uses extended Unicode characters to display the Kwak'wala words.
'Yawitlalal Welcome Dance - This dance came to the 'Namgis tribe as a dowry, through marriage with a tribe from the West Coast. Our tribe has a trade route that is called the "Grease Trail", which connects us to the other side of Vancouver Island. Besides trade, many marriages took place with our Nuchahnulth relatives of Friendly Cove and Kyuquot.
[Hamatsa dance] Hamatsa Cannibal Dance - The Hamatsa is the highest-ranking and most sacred T'seka "Red Cedar Bark Ceremony" (Winter Ceremonies) of the Kwakwaka'wakw. The Hamatsa is the reenactment through song and dance of a young man's possession by the man-eating spirit Baxwbakwalanuksiwe', who lived at the north end of the world. Through rituals, song and dance the initiate is purified and tamed, thus, bringing him back to his human state. The Hamatsa Dancers are initiates of the Hamatsa society initiated by their families.
Tlalkwala Ladies Dance - The Kwakwaka'wakw have a Potlatch ranking order that is followed in our culture. This ranking system was established through Potlatching and warfare. During the Winter Ceremonies the host Chief will ask ladies from the various tribes to come and dance, starting with the highest ranking. The ladies wear button blankets decorated with the crests and history of their families. These blankets replaced furs and cedar-bark robes after European contact. The ladies listen to the words of the song and dance gracefully to the beat, displaying their gift of dance.
[Dzunukwa mask] Dzunuk'wa Sasquatch Dance - Dzunuk'wa is a member of the large family of giants who live in the far away mountains and woods. In most legends, she is female in character and black in color, with bushy, unkempt hair and a pursed mouth through which she utters the cry, Hu! Hu! She is a terrifying and threatening creature. She usually carries a huge basket on her back in which she puts disobedient children that she has captured, taking them to her home deep in the mountains to eat them. In some stories, fortunate children outwit her, as she is vain, dim-witted and clumsy. In another aspect of Dzunuk'wa, she is the possessor of the "Water of Life", a gift she can bestow on people lucky enough to encounter and overcome her. Her most important role is that of the bringer of wealth and good fortune.
[Wolf dance] Dlugwala Wolf Dance - This dance, also known as the "Supernatural One", imitates the wolves. In the beginning of time, a 'Namgis ancestor named T'sil'walagama'yi went to seek supernatural power. After four days and nights of fasting and cleansing, he received a powerful spiritual gift. He appeared across the Gwa'ni (Nimpkish) River facing towards his village riding on the back of a huge supernatural wolf. His tribe tied four canoes together and set out to capture him. After they had retrieved him, they paddled him home on the catamaran and then cleansed his father's house for him to share his treasure. It is said that his dance was so great that it was known throughout the coast and in all realms known to our people; it was famous.
Na'nalalal Weather Dance - The Weather Dance represents the power of the elements and the forces of nature that control our every day lives. The dance involves rapid movements of the body from left to right following the rhythms of the song. The torso is slightly tilted forward and the hands are open and upward with palms toward the front at about the height of the shoulders. The dancer wears a blanket that is ornamented with feathers and a forehead mask with a long beak projecting outwards and worn on the forehead. The dance is sometimes referred to as the "Dance of the Wind". The lively movements of the blanket are made by the dancer and imitate the winds and higher altitudes of the atmosphere. The dancer is initiated by the spirit of Baxbakwalanuksiwe'.
Tuxw'id Warrior Dance - Tuwx'id translates "The One Who Had Traveled". This ancient dance comes from the warrior spirit Winalagalis "Making War Around the World", who takes away the initiates of his dance societies and brings them around the world in his magic copper canoe. Winalagalis bestows a spiritual song on his members who on their return, chant this special song to call upon their power. In our winter ceremonies, these dancers are challenged by certain Chiefs to display their spiritual power and prove their worthiness in the gathering. The dancer will attempt to do so four times as this is the spiritual number of the Kwakwaka'wakw to show her gift from Winalagalis.
[Salmon dance] Me'dzawesu' Salmon Dance - The Salmon Dance is the dance of twins. When twins are born we believe that they are spiritual gifts from the Salmon People. This dance is the birthright of all twins and is danced to celebrate the uniqueness of twins and the greatest of our resources, the salmon. The dancers carry feathers representing twins and the dancers jump during the song imitating the salmon during their life cycle while at sea.
Am'lala Play Song - To celebrate the completion of special events, we have play songs that are fun and less serious. Everyone is welcome to join in. The "Grease Trail Song" comes from the 'Namgis and is shared with our Mowachaht relatives of Friendly Cove. This song reaffirms our connection with them, through our Grease Trail. We invite our guests to come and participate, to symbolically walk to the other side of our world, the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Halakas'lak'ala Farewell Song - This ancient song is said to be thousands of years old. It came to the people of Knight Inlet from a mountain people believed to be from the interior of British Columbia. The story tells of a tribe that came down into the valley of Knight Inlet. These people befriended the inlet people and shared many songs. When these people tried to return to their home over the mountains and glaciers, the weather was not in their favor and they were caught in bad weather. Sadly, the whole tribe died. All that remained was the beautiful songs that they had left behind. This song eventually included Kwak'wala in it, was transferred through marriage to the Lawitsis "Turnour Island" people, who own it today.
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