Semoya Dancers: Themes from the Poster

The life and religion of the Longhouse People. The film shows a rain dance, a healing ceremony and the celebration in honour of a newly chosen chief.

These collected myths and tales of the Indians of the Pacific Northwest--the Klamath, Nez Perce, Tillamook, Modoc, Shastan, Chinook, Flathead, Clatsop, and other tribes--were first published in 1910. Here are their stories concerning the creation of the universe, the theft of fire and daylight, the death and rebirth of salmon, and especially, the formation of such geographical features as The Dalles, the Columbia River, the Yukon River, and Mounts Shasta, Hood, Rainier, Baker, and Adams.

Through the many unique voices of the contributors, major themes are explored, such as indigenous self-representations in performance, representations by nonindigenous people, cultural authenticity in performance and representation, and cross-fertilization between cultures.

A companion to the existing two-volume anthology Staging Coyote's Dream, the authors gathered here--identifying as Cree, Mohawk, Creek, Ntlakapamux, Stó:l¯o, and many other nations--open a conversation, inviting more voices to join in illuminating the history of Indigenous performance in Canada and blazing a trail forward.

Spirit of Powwow has evolved as we have talked with dancers and drummers until we feel we now have a powwow book that goes beyond the usual mere description of regalia and dances.

Through words, archival photographs, and 86 full-color maps, the book details the mythic beginnings of the Sto;:lo people and how white settlement turned their homeland into the bustling metropolis of Vancouver.