Git Hoan Dancers' “People of the Salmon, Tsimshian – Representing Indigenous People of the Pacific Northwest" at the University of Dubuque -- April 19.
Friday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.
University of Dubuque's Heritage Center, 2255 Bennett Street, Dubuque IA
In a performance showcasing the culture of the Tsimshian Tribe from Metlakatla, Alaska, the Git Hoan Dancers' remarkable stage spectacle People of the Salmon, Tsimshian - Representing Indigenous People of the Pacific Northwest comes to the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center on April 19, the ensemble boasting a reputation of high-energy, enthusiastic, and spirit-filled entertainment that thrills and educates thousands of audiences on the rich culture of Tsimshian people throughout the world.
Formed in the efforts to revive, practice, and share the Tsimshian way of life that was once forbidden, the Git Hoan Dancers celebrate the magnificence of Tsimshian art, resurrect the practice of the culture, and work to educate the world. Their performances are filled with stunning, hand-carved masks, authentic skin and wood drums, and colorful, hand-made regalia emblazoned with symbols of the culture. The touring events also include a ceremonial procession and storytelling dances that tell the history of the Tsimshian First Nations People. Legends such as “Mouse Woman and the Cannibal Giant,” “The Shaman and the Land Otters,” “The Spirit of Potlatch” and “Killer whale, Chief of the Sea” are vividly brought to life through dance, while the dramatic impact of the performances is heightened by the use of mechanical devices that animate the heads of characters such as Raven and the Killer Whale.
Over the years, the Git Hoan Dancers have performed at venues including cultural celebrations, museums, art markets and shows, conferences, grand opening events, including representing the people of the Northwest for the National Museum of the American Indian, and have performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe to represent Northwest Coast Native culture. The ensemble's large, articulating performances masks are the creations of Git Hoan Dancers founder David Boxley, who career as an artist developed as he studied pieces in museums. He was impressed with the spectacular, complicated, and ingenious art created by the ancestors, specifically the masks used in ceremony and dance and the intricacies of articulated eyes, mouths, and head pieces to tell stories. This led Boxley to create articulated masks and other traditional props, and to showcase the art and culture of his people, he founded and currently leads the performance group, with "Git-Hoan" meaning "People of the Salmon."
The Git Hoan Dancers' People of the Salmon, Tsimshian – Representing Indigenous People of the Pacific Northwest will be presented in the John & Alice Butler Hall of the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center on April 19, admission to the 7:30 p.m. event is $15-29, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)585-7469 and visiting Dbq.edu/heritagecenter.
