Dance Group
Years ago I came up with the idea to start a truly Skwxwu7mesh Dance Group. After much debate, with myself, I came to a conclusion that having a dance group would noht truly illistrate true skwxwu7mesh culture and life. That this "showcasing" of our culture was the whoring and slutting of the very thing our ansestors saves for so long. This was a very pecimistic view and I have recently change my mind.
I came to a new conclusion that I know that having a dance group would not truly illistrate real skwxwu7mesh life but it can be the residue of it. The tiny bit we can share will be at least somthing we are sharing. I have decided I am going to put two skwxwu7mesh words together to make the name of our dance group.
Heat + Residue = _______ Dancers
Now, I must first get the right words and combine them. This is not set in stone but is the outline for the dance group. The reason I came up with this name is because it comes from many mentaphors that have influenced my current way of thinking.
"Our people were once a burning fire, eluminationg many different colours. We flurished and were as powerfull as the sun itself. Then the colonizers came and started to try to put out that fire. They kicked the fire all around, here and there. Took out some logs. Poored water on it. And so the fire went down and scattered all over. Now in the 21st century our fire is not as strong as it used to be and we are down to embers. Little embers scatterd all over the continent. But one day, that fire will be strong again"
This has given me a purpose to live my life and a strong moral to live by. I agree that my people are just a small little ember with great potential. With that in mind, this dance group will be the "Heat" resinating from that fire. It does not represent the true fire but shares abit of what it has. To really experence Skwxwu7mesh fire, you have to step into it. This dance group, will give you a bit of heat of that fire.
There is also the metaphor that in all our ceremonies, one thing is connected. One thing connects our siyuwn, sxway sxway, burnings, and everything. The power of fire, the first element ever to exsist, connects all our ceremonies with the same power in mind. Our red face dancers take the energy from the fire to give their healing power to the people. The burning sends food and items to the spirit world for our ansestors.
This project will happen and we will be the best damn Skwxwu7mesh Dance group there is. u siyam!
Not that I can give you the right words, but for the "residue" word here is a suggestion.
There must be a skwxwu7mesh word for the stuff that you find in the mouth of a river, the effluent that washes down from the mountains and into the sea, amybe a word for the stones or the sand at a river mouth. Maybe that sandbar at the mouth of Capilano River has a name. Maybe the Squamish River estuary.
That kind of residue seems to be what you're talking about. It has it's source high up on the mountain, but it has washed down and settled where everyone can see it. The river carries it along and it settles out when things slow down. And no one could confuse it for the mountain itself.
In the same way, a dance group distills the culture somewhat and elevates thoughts, stories, ideas and ways of being into songs and dances. But it is not THE culture itself, it is only what the River(s) has brought down from the mountain.
How about that?
Good idea. You were also right for the meaning.
I'll talk to my elders about the words.
Thanks...