''Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific Coast'' is only the second exhibit to be shown in the Changing Exhibitions Gallery at the NMAI, which opened in September 2004.

At the official opening on Feb. 2, 232 singers and dancers from 11 Northwest Indian nations performed songs and dances, introducing Smithsonian sponsors, benefactors and staff members to vibrant West Coast cultures.

Performances were given by Suquamish, Makah, Tlingit, Ditidaht, Kwakwaka'wakw, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, Tsimshian, Nisga'a, Gitxsan and Haida.

The exhibit was two years in the making, as NMAI curators traveled to communities along the coast, meeting with leaders and developing relationships.

''Listening to Our Ancestors' reflects the museum's commitment to working with Native communities and presenting first-person Native voice in exhibitions and public programming,'' said museum founding Director Richard West Jr., Southern Cheyenne. ''By inviting the tribes to help develop the exhibition, an important partnership and dialogue has emerged through which the museum, the communities and visitors can learn about the cultures from the North Pacific Coast,'' he said.

Communities appointed their own curators, who then worked closely with museum staff to develop their parts of the exhibit.

Two days before the opening, spiritual leaders from the nations cleansed and blessed their areas.

''We danced the Chief's Dance and blessed our artifacts,'' said world-renowned artist Roy Henry Vickers. ''It was so powerful for me. We danced in our modern regalia in front of these magnificent ancient cedar capes and headdresses that would have done the same dance 200 years ago. I've done that dance hundreds of times, but this time I was overcome by the power of everything and broke down after we finished,'' he said.

Ron Hamilton (Ki-ke-in) and his wife, Sharon Marshall (Yaawilthma), sang an ancient ciquaa (prayer chant) and spread eagle down throughout the Nuu-chah-nulth area, speaking to the artifacts in his language and assuring them they are safe and in a good place. ''I thanked the chiefs, and called all the ancestors to be here and make sure things are done respectfully,'' said Hamilton. ''I also assured them we're doing everything we can to bring them home by having our own museum,'' he smiled.

The Nuu-chah-nulth exhibit features a cloth curtain of unknown origin, a sealskin whaling float, hinkeets dance masks, rattles, bowls, cedar capes, and war clubs, but it is the collection of six woven hats belonging to noble women that Hamilton is most proud of.

''These six hats have never been shown before and they're absolutely incredible,'' said Hamilton. ''We talk a lot about our ha'wiih (chiefs) in this exhibit and in everything we do, but we don't talk enough about our ha'kuum (queens), so that is why I argued to have a sealing spear replaced with these magnificent hats,'' he said.

Hamilton has worked with the museum for the past month, writing artifact descriptions and a chapter in the accompanying exhibit book.

Walking past the 10 Plexiglas cases holding 44 Nuu-chah-nulth artifacts, Hamilton talked about the difficulties involved in such a selection. ''The items here represent only one-quarter of one percent of the Nuu-chah-nulth artifacts in the Smithsonian's collection,'' said Hamilton. ''I've been talking and corresponding with the archivists here for many years, and every time I talk to them, I talk about how we want to bring these things home. That's why we're here, trying to make their opening successful so we create good will and respect between us,'' he said.

That night, museum sponsors and staff gathered for a lavish dinner where Ditidaht singers and dancers performed along with the Haida, Nisga'a, Tsimshian, Heiltsuk and Kwakwaka'wakw nations.

In an interesting clash of cultures, a Suquamish elder asked that people drinking wine move away from the circular dance area to the mezzanine area to keep the previously blessed area clean and pure. The dignitaries complied.

The exhibit opened the next day at noon, and people were lined up to get in. Lectures and dance performances complemented the opening weekend. The Kwakwaka'wakw delegation offered colorful dance displays twice daily, and Hamilton facilitated a pair of lectures.

The lecture on potlatches was attended by more than 90 people, who listened attentively as Hamilton spoke about the oppression of the 1884 Potlatch Ban in Canada that stayed in place until 1952.

Bill Cranmer, a Kwakwaka'wakw hereditary chief, said his nation launched a groundbreaking lawsuit against the government for the potlatch ban, and is seeking compensation that they will use to fund language and cultural programs.

The next day was family day, and the Pawaats (a Nuu-chah-nulth word meaning ''nest'') education center was filled with laughing children learning about the people of the Northwest Coast, their culture, language and lives.

Heiltsuk Chief Harvey Humchitt talked with visitors as he cooked a few salmon he had brought from Bella Bella, British Columbia.

The NMAI provided $4,300 in funding to each community to allow two ''community curators'' to attend the opening. Communities, such as Gitxsan in New Hazelton, British Columbia, with a 90 percent unemployment rate, could only afford to send the two positions funded through the museum, while others such as Makah held fund-raisers for eight months to bring a delegation of 82 people to the event.

''Having the descendants of the people who made these artifacts here with us to open the exhibition has just been amazing,'' said West. ''It really empowers and enlivens the collection and shows the sheer power and potency of the North Pacific Coast cultures,'' he said.

Extracted from: Indian Country Today