Dancers of Demelahamid visit RC Garnett

November 21, 2018

RC Garnett started their day on November 21 with a special presentation. The First Nation’s group Dancers of Demelahamid put on a spectacular show for the students. There were several dances presented, each themed around different animals and natural interactions. The dances are all from the west coast.

Each dance was done with animal masks, acting out the nature of the creatures being presented. Swallow, otter, frog, beaver, grasshopper, bear, eagle, raven, and orca were all represented. Each mask came with its own fun tricks, such as a licking tongue, or blinking eyes, which the kids loved.

The group is organized by Margaret Grenier, who is from the Gitxsan nation. She introduced the dances and led the assembly in a special Gitxsan language version of “head and shoulders, knees and toes”. The word Demelahamid is from the Gitxsan language and means “paradise”.