Joseph Gosnell, leader of the Nisga鈥檃 peoples, spoke to the hundreds of dancers who gathered in the PNE Forum the eve before Hoobiyee.
鈥淗e said, 鈥榃hat we鈥檙e going to do is turn back the clock,鈥欌�� recalled Sheldon Martin, president of the Nisga鈥檃 Ts鈥檃miks 麻豆传媒映画Society, which organized the 15th annual First Nations festival Friday and Saturday. 鈥淗e said, 鈥榃e are going to go back in time to when our peoples really lived through song and dance鈥� We鈥檙e going to go to a good place this weekend.鈥欌��
The Forum indeed was a good place of song, dance and drumming from morning to night. Vancouver鈥檚 Kwhlii Gibaygum Nisga鈥檃 dancers were the first to hit the floor for the first day of the festival, followed by performances from eight groups, including those from Mount Currie, Seattle and Prince Rupert. Then everybody 鈥� all 700 or so dancers 鈥� joined for the joyous grand entry. Saturday鈥檚 schedule was just as impressive with the return to the floor from B.C. dancers hailing from places such as Gitwangak, Gitanyow, Gitsegukla and Gitlaxt鈥檃amiks.
As the Gidahmes dancers performed Saturday afternoon, Martin described the differences between the groups: 鈥淵ou definitely hear it in the singing, and you can tell the different styles of dance groups through their singing. Some you notice though the regalia they wear,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost just a feeling, every group brings their own feeling. And, for us, we don鈥檛 have groups here performing 鈥� we have groups that are sharing. Sharing their cultures, sharing who they are and where they come from. That鈥檚 what we were taught as young ones, you know. To be proud of who you are.鈥�
Pride in his culture is something Martin himself did not recognize right away. He began singing and dancing when he was eight years old, only when a land-claim was settled between his people and the provincial and federal governments in 1998. The exact moment of awareness came when he was playing outside during recess at the elementary school in his hometown of Greenville, B.C. (Laxgalts鈥檃p) when a helicopter carrying government officials landed across the street on the field of the community centre.
鈥淲e ran over and we walked in to see a whole bunch of people in regalia. We were so young, we just looked at each other wondering who these people were,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淎nd then, it just so happened 鈥� I looked towards the door and there was my father dressed in regalia. I had no idea. So, to see the rebirth of it now, you know, to see the little children as part of the dancers, to see them as part of our culture and our roots鈥� It wasn鈥檛 like that for a long time because the governments had banned First Nations people from gathering.鈥�
Hoobiyee marks the Nisga鈥檃 Nation鈥檚 new year. The moon plays a significant role; how it鈥檚 shaped in the sky is said to indicate the abundance of the upcoming year鈥檚 harvest. If it鈥檚 a crescent moon with its tips pointed up, it鈥檚 sitting like a bowl of a spoon 鈥� a good omen as it represents holding all of the nation鈥檚 harvest. There are approximately 7,000 Nisga鈥檃 Nation members in Canada, with 1,400 who call 麻豆传媒映画home.
鈥淎n event like this, with the city working towards reconciliation and for us to have this kind of connection to the rest of the world and the rest of the community 鈥� it鈥檚 definitely a benefit for all of us,鈥� said Martin. 鈥淣ever in my wildest dreams did I think we would be celebrating like this, here.鈥�
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