Thousands attend festivities for Hobiyee in Rupert

"We are like trees, planted together. We grow strong and tall, and our roots twist around each other, so we can withstand any storm. When we work together, when we respect each other and develop trust, we can move mountains."

Nisga'a Lisims President Nelson Leeson spoke those words to the thousands of First Nations people who had gathered for the weekend festivities in Prince Rupert on Feb. 17 and 18.

At the end of his speech, Leeson smiled and raised his hands, bringing the huge crowd of 2,500 people to its feet with one word:
"Hobiyee!"

"Hobiyee!" the crowd responded.

"Hobiyee!"

"Hobiyee!"

It would be repeated countless more times throughout the weekend as Hobiyee, the Nisga'a New Year, was celebrated at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre in Prince Rupert.

The spectacle began Friday afternoon and concluded late Saturday night, with two venues being used; the civic gym for dancing and presentations, and the civic auditorium for vendors. It was just the second time-both times in Rupert-the celebration was held outside of the Nass Valley.
The Hobiyee tradition was revived in 1991 by the late Sim'Oogit Rod Robinson, of Gitwinksihlkw, who taught the song and drum beat to the Four Crest Dancers to be used at the raising of a memorial totem pole for his deceased grandmother, Louisa Oiyee. The following year, the Nisga'a passed a resolution that Hobiyee would be Nisga'a New Year and it would be celebrated every February.

February is the coldest time of the year in the Nass Valley and considered to be the beginning of the New Year because the cold makes the needles on the boughs of the trees brittle and easily blown away, which is part of nature's way of preparing the trees for spring.

Hobiyee comes from the Nisga'a word, hoobix, which is the bowl of a wooden spoon. Long ago, Nisga'a chieftains observed that whenever the crescent moon is in the shape of a hoobix, the resources in their lands would be plentiful and so, Hobiyee means "the spoon is full."

The civic centre was certainly full for the two days, including one of the largest gatherings of dancers ever seen as almost 1,000 of them, varying in age from two to 70 and coming from communities across the North Coast and as far away as Vancouver, performed.

"This is incredible," said Lyle Adams, leader of the Gitlakdamix Ceremonial Dancers from New Aiyansh. "It's great to see all the different dancers and be able to express our culture, and feel the spirit of our people come alive."

Adams was particularly heartened by the large number of youth participating, noting that more than half of his dancers are youth.

"You can see it in their eyes, how the dancing transforms them, makes them lighthearted," he said, adding that "Not only are they learning to be dancers, but they are also developing leadership skills."

Twelve-year-old Tristen Wybou, a local Tsimshian, was one of those young participants and is a third generation dancer in her family.

"My grandmother convinced me to dance when I was little," said Wybou. "I like learning new songs and the stories behind them-except one, because it's really long!"

The event came to a close at about 11 p.m. Saturday with the passing of the moon, as a wooden cut-out of the crescent moon was lowered from the rafters to the centre of the gym, and handed to representatives of New Aiyansh, next year's host.

After taking the moon, the New Aiyansh leaders walked around the gym, holding the moon high, joined by all of the dancers, as well as hundreds of spectators who flocked to join in.