Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 4, 1 April 1987 — Cultural Exchange [ARTICLE]

Cultural Exchange

A rare opportunity to see and hear the traditional dances and songs of the Kwakiutl people of North Vancouver Island, British Columbia, will be presented Thursday, Apr. 9, in Orvis Auditorium on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus. At least 12 dances will be featured in the program whieh starts at 8 p.m. A $2 donation is being asked. The performing group numbers about 40 people, including several elders. They are coming to Hawaii especially to do their part in Ho'olako 1987: The Year of the Hawaiian. Of the many North American Indian tribes in the Northwest, it has been said by several anthropologists that the Kwakiutl society is similar to those found in the Facific islands, especially in Hawaii. They had a system of rank like the high chiefs of Hawaii, they kept stones and were one of the few tribes to use oeean voyaging canoes. Many of the dances of the Kwakiutl represent the animal world about them. Among them are the killer whale, wo!f, raven and bear. This ean also be seen in the carved masks used in the dances. Kwakiutl are well known among North American Indian tribes as they practice large ceremonial feats and gift-giving called potlach. They were "studied" by famous University of Chicago Anthropologist Franz Boas and photographed at the turn of the century by Amenean photographer Edward Curtis.