Illusions For the Uninitiated: Traditional Special Effects in Potlatch Performances

Nuxalk Nation potlatch performances are multidimensional displays of supernatural mythology done through the use of traditional special effects. This is an untold story which I bring to light by reclaiming the descriptions of the secret society, the Kusiut, as recorded by anthropologist Thomas McIlwraith, and in the discussions on my own art practice. There are similarities between Nuxalk traditional cultural production and western mainstream cultural production that I investigate with my writing and my art making. I use a form of hybridization of traditional special effects and mainstream special effects in the making of contemporary ceremonial art objects that, like the masks and blankets of the Nuxalk Nation, are meant to be performed and come to life. Both forms of special effects shape the socio-political issues of their time. Nuxalk winter dances, which are generally performed and witnessed mainly by First Nations community members, have foundational special effect techniques. I discuss and elaborate on them as a woman actively engaged in reclaiming, revealing and participating in the stories of my own people through art. Nuxalk secret society performers and the magic they created reconstructed realities that could be collectivized and set precedents that while not known to European based cultures, were demanding and technically extremely disciplined. My art practice builds on that discipline from the endless hours learning specific Nuxalk traditional methods to my own engagement in the assertion of matrilineal protocols. In addition I learned extensive special effects for mask from the film industry that include malleable materials to allow performers to emote facial expressions. Through conventional research methods and traditional practices, I have fabricated hybrid works of Nuxalk art that blend ancestral aesthetics with current techniques of the special effects industry. Researching Nuxalk ancestry has provided a lens to explore possible indigenous artistic advancement in my own art while ensuring that the foundational contributions of Nuxalk traditional techniques are acknowledged. Nuxalk potlatch performances and Non-First Nations stagecraft have both mesmerized audience’s for generations. This work expands on those creative lineages weaving them together to hold space for a re-imaging of remnants from those dauntless cultural trailblazers of the Kusiut society.