For more than 10,000 years, the Squamish people have lived in what is now the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Recently, the Spakwus Slolem (“Eagle Song Dancers”) presented songs, dances, and stories at the Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. According to the group’s website:
“We are a Coastal people, people of the cedar longhouses, of the great sea-going canoes, the racing war canoes, People of the Salmon. Our colourful history speaks of things of legend, of deeds of certain members of the Smylaith Tribe (Sasquatch), legends of the Animal Kingdom(i.e., The Raven, Seagull and Sun), which brings out Teachings of our Squamish People, the History of Takaya, the Wolf Clan, one of our Squamish Family's History.”
Belong the symbolic squiggle are some photographs of this event.
Caution: these are not “powwow” dances nor do the dancers look like the stereotypical Plains Indians. Traditionally, visitors to the village would be greeted with dances, to welcome them and to bring them into harmony with the village. The dances shown here were public performances, not sacred dances, and photography was allowed.