Chief Dennis John and family welcomed hundreds of guests over the first weekend of October as they paid tribute to the memories of his late father, Kelly John, and his brother Edward John and niece Arlene Titian.
The memorial potlatch scheduled for two days on Oct. 3 to Oct. 4 actually went three days, ending on Sunday morning.
The John family started things off by serving their guests lunch on Friday afternoon followed by the blessing and opening of the floor.
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Ahousaht guests joined the John singers in the opening of the potlatch and Dennis thanked the Swans, Franks and Louies for sharing their songs.
Ahousaht singer Walter Thomas was happy to take part in the potlatch and said they were singing and dancing on behalf of Steven Titian who was married to Arlene and also in recognition of his ties to the Smith family.
Elder Alex Short acted as speaker for Chief John. He thanked Ahousaht for their hospitality the year before when tragedy struck their families.
In September 2014 Edward John and Arlene Titian died in a car accident along with a young woman from Ahousaht. A month later elder Kelly John passed away.
Following the accident more than 70 friends and family members of the John family spent more than a week in Ahousaht to grieve together.
“We want to say thank you to Ahousaht for your hospitality when we were grieving over there,” said Short. “We appreciate what Ahousaht did for us during our time of grief.”
Chief John led the singing of a song that he said his late father helped him make; then he announced that it was time for he and his sister Janice to put their sorrow behind them.
“It’s has been a hard year, but it is time to move forward and celebrate their lives,” said Short on behalf of John.
The Samuel family were introduced by elder Ray Samuel, who explained how his family is related to the Kyuquot people.
The Samuels are connected to Kyuquot through the Olebar family. Ray Samuel said that late Kelly John was his cousin. He told Dennis and family never to hesitate to ask the Samuels for help when they need it, because they are family. Then he thanked Dennis for all he’s done for Ahousaht.
Hesquiaht elders Pat and Mamie Charleson stood up their granddaughter Maureen and her husband Chancellor Amos and explained that they are related to the Johns. They gave gifts and boxes of fruit to the hosts in support of their potlatch, then they announced that their grandson, Kelly-on would be taking back his name.
The young boy had been going by the name Ethan for the past year, putting away his name out of respect for the late Kelly John.
Later that day speaker Alex Short gave an explanation of Chief Dennis John’s ceremonial curtain that was being used for the potlatch. He explained that it showed some of the resources found in the hahulthi of the ha’wilth, from the wild life, sea resources to the forest resources, songs and dances. The curtain, he said, speaks to ha’wilthmis and his chiefly holdings and responsibilities.
“In about a year from now Dennis will bring out an updated curtain with new features,” said Short.
A representative from Tsow Tun Le’lum treatment center praised Kelly for the work he did with people in recovery.
“I want you to know how important your dad was,” the woman said to Dennis John. She went on to say that Kelly worked well with families on their healing journeys and she really respected him.
Steve Pendleton stood with the Jack family of Mowachaht/Muchalaht; he said they were friends with Kelly and wanted to be there to support the John family.
The Jack family performed some dances before presenting gifts to the hosts.
Other important guests to offer support to the hosts were Calvin Hunt, George Hunt Jr., the Nicolaye family who presented gifts and support on behalf of their newly-seated ha’wilth, the Johnson family, Tla-o-qui-aht ha’wiih, people from Heiltsuk Nation, Makah Nation and many more.
In a more poignant moment during the potlatch, women danced out from behind the curtain holding portraits of Kelly, Edward and Arlene. They danced the portraits around the floor, some fighting tears.
As they finished their dance the portraits were handed over to special guests.
Jayne Smith held a portrait of her late mother Arlene and handed it over to her step-father Steven Titian, giving it to him with a big hug.
Chief John brought forward a transformation mask that he had borrowed from artist Calvin Hunt. He said there is a family story that relates to the imagery in the mask.
He explained that an ancestor on his father’s side of the family had gone out alone to hunt for deer. The hunter came upon a deer and shot it but it ran away, wounded.
“In the old days they used to say if it doesn’t drop on the first shot then it belongs to the wolves,” said John.
The hunter chased down the wounded deer and killed it. As he was cleaning it and loading it into his canoe he could hear the wolves. He fought to paddle away from the shore but a pod of killer whales kept nudging him back toward land. He eventually broke away and spent the night alone on another beach.
A search party of warriors discovered him there and, upon hearing his story, went to the canoe and tossed the deer carcass over.
The killer whales swam away with the carcass and as they reached the other shore, one transformed into a wolf.
So Dennis John and his late father Kelly composed a song and dance that would tell this story. John said he borrowed the transformation mask from his friend Calvin Hunt. The mask transforms from a killer whale to a wolf.
Chief John showed this very special dance toward the end of his potlatch.
The party ended at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, having run 22 solid hours from Saturday morning.
