Track 29 Liner notes

4504, Nootka: Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest. Recorded and annotated by Ida Halpern. Farewell song performed by George Clutesi (1905-1988) and his Port Alberni Group, a member of the Tse-Shaht band. He won the British Columbia Centennial Award in 1959 and the Canada Centennial Medal in 1967, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Victoria for his achievements in promoting traditional aboriginal culture in BC and Canada. He also published three books.

George Clutesi was born in 1905 in Port Alberni, British Columbia and was educated in reservation school. He was an artist, author and lecturer who taught about Native culture and wrote textbooks for Canadian schools. He also appeared in TV documentaries. See this site for a list of his achievements:

Clutesi was an artist, as well as a promoter of tradition culture. His work is digitized and can be seen on this BC archives website:

In an interview with Halpern’s research assistant, Clutesi suggested that this farewell song belongs to the “upcoast tribes”, and to Chief Adam Shewish of Port Alberni in particular. Before he sang the song, Clutesi describe the fate of his people saying, “We are but an echo of the past.” Much of the song is comprised of the vocable “Oh”, which Clutesi explains is a prayer or supplication similar in meaning to “My Lord”. The text of the song is in an old language idiom that is no longer spoken.

Collected in 1947-53, and 1965-72. Recording and notes done by Ida Halpern, same as on 4523 (Indian Music of the Pacific North West Coast)). Basically the same notes word for word. Many of the same performers. These two albums might be considered as a pair.

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