Members of Tseshaht council, Language and Cultural Committee and elders took part in the Grand Opening of Hishok—Tseshaht Whaling, at One With the Whale, at the Hutcheson Gallery on June 22.
The much-anticipated whaling exhibit is part of the summer program at the Port Alberni Maritime Heritage Centre. In an invitation-only event held just prior to the public opening at noon, Tseshaht members were joined by officials from the Port Alberni Maritime Heritage Society, the Alberni Valley Museum and the City of Port Alberni for the official ribbon-cutting.
The Heritage Society’s president David Cox reminded guests that they were in the traditional territory of the Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations, then invited the Tseshaht to perform their Welcome Song.
In the quiet following the song, Cox flashed an inquiring look to project leader Darrell Ross. “Are we allowed to applaud?” he asked, then led an enthusiastic round of applause for the performers.
In his welcoming address, Tseshaht Chief Councillor Hugh Braker noted that his traditional name, Tapoo'scho'ah, flows from the whaling vocabulary, meaning, roughly “when/where the whales enter Tseshaht territory.”
“It speaks to the wealth of the Tseshaht and the importance of the whaling and the history of the Tseshaht with the whale. And you will find there are many names that reflect the whaling culture of Tseshaht.”
Braker said when Tseshaht first met with the museum and Heritage Society members to discuss the potential for an exhibit, there was a whole range of topics proposed.
“But there was one aspect of our history that defines us more than anything, and that was whaling,” he said, adding, “I was exhausted after the meeting. Fortunately, I could just turn it over to Darrell (Ross), and he could do all the work.”
Ross earned high praise from all corners, including Tseshaht councillor Janice Johnson, who is also a member of the Language and Culture Committee.
“It has been a great privilege to be able to work with the committee and to learn so much. Every day when we go to a meeting, it's like being in class; we learn a lot of who we are and where we come from,” she said. “I always refer to Darrell as the Knowledge Keeper in our community. He shares so much and you learn so much.”
Johnson said the exhibit provides an opportunity for Tseshaht of all ages to better connect with their own culture. Acting mayor and former history teacher Hira Chopra said there is a worldwide hunger for cultural experiences like Hishok.
“The city recognizes that cultural tourism is one of the fastest-growing market sectors,” he said.
Chopra said people around the world take strength from their own culture and heritage, and want to experience how other people relate to their world. But it has to be presented well, and Hishok fills that bill.
“The pride shows,” he said. “[History] is the power of showing people in the day-to-day business of their lives, and other communities can learn from it. It's always a good thing to learn how we can improve ourselves and how we can work together, and how we can build our relationships.”
AV Museum director Jamie Morton expanded on that theme.
“It's important that we have exhibits like this to show the richness of aboriginal culture in our region. It's something people want to see when they come here, and I'm delighted that Tseshaht First Nation is willing to share this heritage and these stories with the public.
“Darrell has had this vision for a long time, since we worked together on Hisheenqu'as [Living Together] in 2010-2011. He was talking then that the next project should be a whaling exhibit. It took a few years for it to happen, but the idea was there.”
Morton thanked the artists who created “amazing reproductions, such as Edward Johnson, who created the harpoon shaft and mussel-shell spear-point, along with a sealskin float and canoe-bow, Gordon Dick, who carved the stylized dorsal fin and Willard Gallic Jr, for the Thunderbird.
“It really gives people the experience of the tactile sensation of how these things work. We also have some historic objects coming in—not quite repatriation, but having access to things that were here historically and were collected here a hundred years ago.”
Emcee Cox agreed that the hands-on experience is exciting.
“Darrell let me hold the 300-year-old harpoon now installed in its case, and to feel that connection between our culture and our First Nations was a moment I will treasure forever.”
The Tseshaht performers then sang a new work by Aaron Watts called the Lightning Song.
“It basically says, 'This is our house. It is strong,'” Ross explained. “It's a celebration song, and it does represent the day well.”
Ross noted that he has himself researched Tseshaht culture for 30 years, and cited influences such the late Dr. George Clutesi and Ha'wilth Adam Shewish in his quest.
“All these people have been instrumental in passing down messages to us,” he said. The goal now is to continue that process of handing down traditional knowledge to succeeding generations.
Ross, in turn, thanked Cox for helping him stay focused on the project, and the AV Museum for their continuing commitment to their partnership with Tseshaht. That included Morton and former executive director Jean McIntosh, who also attended the event.
He also thanked George Clutesi Jr. for the loan of the historic harpoon and archaeologist Denis St. Claire for his guidance. Both men were in attendance.
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Deb Foxcroft, who joined the Tseshaht dancers in their performances, took the opportunity to welcome guests to the Aboriginal Day celebrations.
“Aboriginal Day—we celebrate that every day,” she quipped.
Foxcroft noted that Aboriginal Day was proclaimed in 1996, and the selection of the summer solstice was an appropriate choice.
“It's a time of new beginnings; it's a time of growth; it's a time of gathering our traditional foods and it's the time we celebrate our language, culture and history. It's also a time of sacred ceremonies; we celebrate all of the seasons.”
Speaking to Ha-Shilth-Sa after the event, Ross said Hishok has been an opportunity to move beyond the dry display of historical objects. While the Royal B.C. Museum and the Canadian Museum of Civilization have magnificent collections, what is missing is that up-close-and-personal context.
“The story isn't attached to the artifact. It's basically just an artifact. There isn't a deep understanding of the significance of the piece from an ethnographic or cultural sense.”
Ross said a smaller, intimate and hands-on exhibit provides a chance for visitors to experience that “blood feeling” of whaling, as well as the spiritual aspects.
“We're hoping that it will get our kids curious about what it means to be a Tseshaht whaler and, hopefully, look at those practices of preparation and use them in everyday life. Making sure your mind is ready for things.”
Ross said the goal is to share that body of knowledge with the greater community.
“When you look at trying to bring balance back into the earth, there are a lot of lessons and understandings that we have that we can use to look at the environment in a sustainable way, and to understand that everything is connected and that everything impacts everything.”
Following the Hishok opening, there was another Aboriginal Day celebration scheduled to take place at Tseshaht First Nation Dam, but with a bountiful drag seine fishery just wrapping up and several featured guests called away at the last minute, the festivities were adjourned for the time being.
“We decided we'd just have a picnic and invite people to join us,” Janice Johnson said.
Despite the cancellation, organizer Tyrone Marshall forged ahead setting up tables and chairs, then brought in what proved to be a stellar feast that included barbecued salmon (two styles) and a salad featuring greens from the Tseshaht garden project.
Marshall said with the fishery going on all morning, it would have been nearly impossible to set up a fire-pit to cook the fish on site. Tseshaht members lined up well past 1 o'clock to sell their fish.
Hugh Braker later reported that the Saturday morning fishery netted nearly 7,000 sockeye.
