Nisga’a celebration welcomed all to share in their traditions

Last week the Nisga’a nation held a Feast of Blessing at the local Nisga’a Hall, as its members gathered to celebrate their traditional work that has been accomplished in the last year.

It was a ceremony of continuity as the youngest members of Nisga’a continue to guard their culture and the traditions passed on from their elders.

The Daily news featured details of the celebration as their front page story on Monday.


NISGA'A PEOPLE CELEBRATE THEIR REJUVENATED CULTURE

By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, November 26, 2007
Pages one and three

With nearly 60 new sets of drums, 40 pieces of regalia, moccasins and eight button-blanket replicas, there were plenty of items for Prince Rupert's Nisga'a community to celebrate and bless on Thursday night.

The all-ages community Feast of Blessing at Nisga'a Hall last week was a chance for the community to gather and celebrate all the traditional work that's been done over the past year, as well as welcome other residents of Prince Rupert to witness the blessing ceremony.

"It didn't take a whole year to work on all of the stuff, but it was all made through the whole year," said Carol Smythe Doolan, Gitmaxmak'ay Nisga'a Society programs and services coordinator. "Basically, everything that hasn't been blessed since the last Feast of Blessing was brought in. It takes a lot of time to make everything, but also to get all the people together. You're lucky if you can get them all out on one night," she said.

The Feast saw a great turnout, and everyone who attended had a chance to fill up on seafood or beef soup and fired bread and other foods before the ceremonies began. New Horizons Committee member Max Haines made a speech in which he thanked all the volunteers, women and young men who made the night a possibility through their hard work, as well as everyone who created the traditional items.

“It’s really encouraging to know that the youngest person to make a drum was only three years old, and the oldest was 92,” he said. “To know the younger generation is preserving the culture, because we almost lost it at one point.

Creating the drums and the regalia is a hands-on learning experience for all the Nisga’a people who take part in making something, as they are guided by the chiefs and matriarchs throughout the creation process.

Many people sew their own regalia, and the elders were able to teach the correct colours or crests to use, since they have to be specific to the house that a person belongs to.

“I’m very pleased to see this night happening, because we almost did lose our culture at one point,” said Sim’oogit Hay M’aas, who also addressed those gathered to explain the significance of the blankets, drums, and regalia.

“But there’s so much pride in the origins of our culture, and it is getting a lot stronger now that we have control of it and it is respected,” said Sim’oogit Hay M’aas.

The drums were put together during seven workshops, with 10 drums made at each meaning there were anywhere from 65 to 70 new sets introduced into the community. Unfortunately, not everyone who put together traditional pieces was able to attend the feast, since many people had to leave town at the end of summer for education or employment.

After Reverend Peter Nelson conducted the blessings and led everyone in prayer, gifts were given out to all those who came to witness the blessing, while tables were also cleared from one half of the Hall to make room for a drum and dance performance.

After numerous songs, dances and drum drills, many people who gathered were exhausted from their emotional evening, and ready to head home for bed.“I believe the Feast of the Blessing may have begun as just a thought, but now it’s a reality,” said Rev. Nelson. “They could have called it many things, but I think they were moved by the Creator to call it a Blessing.”