Cowichan News Leader Pictorial, April 20, 2012 by Black Press Media Group

Top story: School district sets course for an illegal budget Up front: Tax shift shifted to hit North Cowichan all at once

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Friday, April 20, 2012

From the mists of our mythical and cultural past: Talks underway to launch legendary Cowichan Native opera for the ﬁrst time in nearly 50 years Peter W. Rusland

News Leader Pictorial

he world-renowned Tzinquaw Opera could be staged again nearly 50 years after the mythical Quw’utsun’ musical tale last thrilled audiences of all cultures. Resurrection of the valley’s famed tale — of how the Thunderbird, or Tzinquaw, carried away a greedy Cowichan Bay killer whale eating starving Quw’utsun’ people’s salmon — began during Tuesday’s launch of the eighth-annual Aboriginal Film Festival. Native elders — some of whom appeared in the opera a generation ago — were honoured as the valley’s popular, all-ages’ Tzinquaw Dancers performed to the delight of festival stars, ¿lm-makers, and organizers. “It shows what we’ve been taught through the Tzinquaw legend, and we’re only showing a fraction of what was brought down to us,” said Tzinquaw drummer Ray (Rick) Peter Jr. Some of those sacred teachings were depicted during the screening of director Caroline Trudel’s ¿lm The Thunderbird and the Killer Whale. “Watching these young ones dance here added 10 years to my life,” said Cree TV star Ray Thunderchild. The moving show twinned a display of newspaper clippings, costumes, photos and other Tzinquaw Opera artifacts on loan for the ¿lm-fest’s opening in the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Centre. The magic of Aboriginal culture proved a catalyst for reuniting opera artifacts from Salt Spring Island’s Akerman family with local elders wishing to share their stage art with the world. But ¿rst, protocols and talks about the opera must happen between Quw’utsun’ elders, the Tzinquaw troupe and the Akermans. Their goal is to provide, and rehearse, the musical dramatization scored for two pianos in the late 1940s by Pat Akerman’s late grandfather, Frank Morrison. For a variety of family reasons, the legendary production

has not been staged since 1967. “We want to make sure it goes to the right people and through the right channels,” said Akerman. His late father, Bob, displayed Morrison’s Tzinquaw Opera memorabilia for years in a special museum at his Salt Spring home. “We have everything grandpa Morrison collected,” he told the News Leader Pictorial. “It’s amazing what grandpa Morrison did.” Honourary Cowichan chief Morrison (Tzahqullah), a Duncan music teacher, worked with student Abel Joe, Quamichan elders and actors to create the score by ear. Director Cecil West’s show debuted with an all-Cowichan cast in Duncan in November 1950. Then it packed many more venues, including Victoria’s Royal Theatre.

Morrison wrote he hoped Tzinquaw “was able to catch and record the tone, mood, and atmosphere that motivates our Aboriginal, Native people to to express their deepest emotions in song, and through dramatic portrayal of their ancient traditional ceremonies.” The Tzinquaw Opera sure charmed a visiting New York Times critic. “This original and unique production is the signal for the rebirth of North American folklore,” the critic said. “Certain it is that the North American stage has seen nothing to compare with the scope of this all-Indian (sic)pageant.” Cowichan Tribes members Harold and Norbert Joe, and Wayne Seward agreed after Tuesday’s Tzinquaw Dancers show in the QCC. more on A16

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