Elwha Watershed Information Resource
Dance Group
In 1995, through the Klallam Language Program, a grant was written to revitalize Klallam songs and dances. Klallam Language staff Jamie Valadez, Linda Laungayan, and Jennifer Wallen helped, along with Elders Bea Charles and Adeline Smith, to revive and recreate six songs. Before this time, songs, dances, and potlatches were either banned or illegal by federal law, and since they hadn't been done for so long, they were forgotten. Unlike where the Makah Tribe resided, Port Angeles was being so rapidly settled that the Klallam Tribe was not able to continue to practice the traditional ways in secret. Although the Makah Tribe would sneak off to an island nearby and have potlatches, the Klallams did not have a place like that to go because of the abundance of white settlers quickly moving to the Port Angeles area.
Along with the Klallam Lanuage Program staff and elders, a group of 10 high school students helped to create the dances for the songs. They were the original Dance Group performers. In 1998 Arlene Wheeler took over as leader of the Klallam Dance Group. Many more songs and dances have been gifted, learned, and created over the last 10 years. Today there are over 50 dancers in the dance group!
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| Some songs were created, so that when all of the tribes were together they would have a song that they could all sing to and dance to together. Elwha Warrior Princess Leilani Barkley and hired Tse-whit-sen spiritual advisor MaryAnn Thomas are dancing to the Friendship Song also known as Hoo-Ya-Hoo-Ya. Credit: Alicia Greenway |
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| Skipper of the Pink Paddle Project and Dance Group Leader Arlene Wheeler (in the pink sweatshirt) participates in an inter-tribal friendship dance at the Lower Elwha Gymnasium in July of 2006 as the canoes passed by on their way to Muckleshoot. Credit: Arlene Wheeler |
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In the summertime in Port Angeles, Wednesdays are special evenings on the pier. The Wednesday during the Paddle to Elwha in August of 2005, the special event was the Tulalip and the Elwha Dancers. Credit: Alicia Greenway |
One song that was recreated was the Whale Song. The first verse says my mother (mother earth - ntan); the next verse says my father (father sky - ntsut), then grandmother (grandmother moon - nseya); and the next verse says a whale appears. In the Whale Song the men in the dance represent the harpooners.
Anothe dance, the Feather Dance, has a story behind it. It is a dance that is done by the females. There was a female who was down on the beach. A young fellow came near that she liked, so she started picking up feathers and trying to impress him. The Feather Dance was created by Ramona Valadez and is done by all of the girls. Only girls can sing the Feather Song as well. It is a rattle song, which means there are no drums when singing this song.
The Friendship Song (Hiya Nescheyetcha) is a song that is usually performed by the dance group when there are guests to come dance with them. Each member doing the dance will go into the audience and choose someone to dance with them.
In the Owl Song, the women are supporting the men, who are the center of attention in this dance. The men are dancing in the middle and representing the owl physique. The women are owls as well, dancing along the side as owls.
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At a potlach celebration the tribes perform in order of the furthest away tribe to the closest tribe. This is the Elwha Dance Group performing the Whale Dance at the Paddle to Muckleshoot 2006 potlatch. Pictured here in the Elwha regalia and braids is Vanna Francis. Credit: Brenda D. Francis |