WESTERN FRONT – Performance by Kwakiutl Artists

Description:

To close the Music From the New Wilderness festival, Western Front welcomed Chief James Sewid of Alert Bay and artists and elders from the Kwakiutl First Nation to present an evening of traditional songs and dances. Chief Sewid shared stories and remarks throughout the evening, and was joined by his wife Flora Sewid, daughter Daisy Sewid-Smith, and other relatives.

The performance was preceded by a feast in the Grand Luxe Hall.

Video and audio documentation available upon request.

A young woman performs in traditional Kwakiutl regalia. Her gaze shifts down as she dances. An elder is seated behind her as she watches her perform.

Two performers in traditional Kwakiutl regalia stand with their backs to the camera. One of the performers wears a button blanket with a thunderbird motif.

One older woman and one younger woman are dressed in traditional Kwakiutl regalia. The youth looks back with her left palm extending out facing up. The elder behind her has her eyes closed as she claps. In the back there is an older man playing the drum.

A carved Northwest Coast eagle mask is danced. A Kwakiutl elder can be seen seated in the background.

A woman dressed in traditional Kwakiutl regalia performs a dance while an audience in the background observes.

A female Kwakiutl elder dressed in traditional regalia performs a dance. Her gaze shifts down as she claps her hands. In the background a blurred audience watches her performing.

Two elders wearing traditional Kwakiutl regalia perform a dance. They both have their hands open and raised by their faces.

Related Events

1980

Music From the New Wilderness

Captions:

Daisy Sewid-Smith performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Performance by Kwakiutl Artists, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Performance by Kwakiutl Artists, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Performance by Kwakiutl Artists, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Performance by Kwakiutl Artists, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Performance by Kwakiutl Artists, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Chief James Sewid performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.
Performance by Kwakiutl Artists, photo documentation, Mar 22, 1980.

Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.