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Reproduction of song.

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Chief Assu's translation of the song: "Whiskey Song: Why do you drink your whiskey. To get proud. If you drink much you feel good and you think highly of yourself."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Assu's comments on songs content: "Why do you drink your whiskey. To get proud. If you drink much you feel good and you think highly of yourself. Somebody tells him something and he says I dreamed what happened already."

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu commentary: "Image is also on the crest of the totem pole. He made this song. When allied families stay together other groups will never harm them. This Whale is a head man. Another recognized person all under supreme command. There are six families all with their own crest in Cape Mudge. The other families tried many times to defeat them but didn't."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's comments: "Campbell River (Wiweḵ̕a̱m) Cape Mudge tribe (Wiweḵa̕yi). Name of Medicine Man ia JACHACHA Kilish(J) 40 years ago he had this Potlatch song made. Somebody made it for him. Translation: "I am going to ask the people from all over the coast, 'which chief has brought the best gift?' I have received only good things from other people."

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Chief Assu commented on the song's storyline: Wakee married Wolasso's daughter. Wolasso gave much copper. (Wolasso (Wa̱lasu) is the ancestor of the Wakeman Sound Tribe.) He filled canoe after canoe. Nobody could lift it. Then came two men and stole it. Wolasso was a sick man but very rich. He burnt his back and somebody told him to go down to the beach and there he found the copper. Wolasso kills them all but copper was gone. A woman cries a song about lost copper.

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's comments: "Cape Mudge side grandfather time of MAOLI-Campbell River relation - your father side-wolf eagle side." Translation. "

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Assu described the song as "a very old potlatch song." The song's message is "Don't look back go forward." Assu estimated the song was over 200 years and originally made for the Campbell River people (Wiweḵ̕am).

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chife Assu's commentary: "Cedar Bark Dance. Woman Dancer. Song is over 30 years years old and belongs to Paddy Grey" Translated by Tom Willie September 1977.

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's commentary: Dancing sister did another dance song. They use a big drum, boxes and she is put in. Somebody is to cut her neck. Four men bet busy with a big knife and first man said he is scared. Second man says he is scared too. Third man says he is going to cut and the knife is dropped. the fourth man says he is going cut and he cuts her and lots of blood. comes out. Then he takes the head and shows it to the people. The event is finished after several hours. Sometime later she comes out again with her head all right. She starts to sing and dance Somebody says they could not kill here because she is a doctor. Only woman doctors fool the people.

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's commentary: Uncle Wamiss, Big Chief Potlatch song. Uncle said the Potlatch (Little Kolassi)/ I ten times pay/ I am one man the mightiest/ I give the canoe KA KOXSILLA/ (All the canoe got name)/ I give canoe to the white head man̓ At marriages they sing the war songs/Kwakiutl-KWA KWALLA Language. Song from the Fort Rupert Tribes ( Kwagu̕ł ).

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's commentary: "Old Woman Song. Kau Minuoko (name of the dance). Belonged to the Doctor Woman. Made up by Chief's Father Kimcho who was 65 years old. Jackoo Melliwamiss, Chief Wamiss daughter, the old medicine woman."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge. Tła̕sa̱lag̱a̱mł (Peace Dance Mask), or T̕łisa̱lag̱a̱mł (Sun Mask).

Reflecting her academic training as a musicologist, the series consists primarily of Ida Halpern’s musical research into the traditional arts and culture of the aboriginal peoples of the Pacific Northwest of Canada. Beginning in 1947 Halpern made a concerted effort to record original hereditary songs and ceremonies of various aboriginal communities across the West Coast. Her method focused on opportunity rather than strategic selection of aboriginal communities. The result is a scattered selection of recordings primarily from Kwakwaka’wakw (European literature: Kwakiutl) communities, but also including Nu-cha-nulth (European Literature: Nootka), Haida, Tsimshian, and Nuxalk (European literature: Bella Coola). Halpern recorded both in the setting of local communities and, when opportunity arose, in Vancouver. She began her work on a disc cutting Meissner recorder but as technology progressed she moved to audio reels and finally cassette tapes. Her magpie approach may have lacked coordination but she succeeded in capturing a significant sampling of performances from the last generation of Aboriginal leaders fluent in the arts, languages, and ceremonies of their peoples. The recordings are of unique value for three reasons in particular. First Halpern used her musical background to make unprecedented sophisticated musical analysis of the First Nations musical works she recorded. Second, Halpern arrived on the Northwest Coast at the cusp of a popular appreciation for art and culture of local First Nations societies. Her work helped to bring uncommon public attention to the artistic and social identities of these indigenous communities. Third, many of the Elders Halpern recorded were willing to offer a selection of songs, naming ceremonies and other traditional creations because they recognized the generational decline in the common usage of their indigenous culture and the corresponding need for its preservation. Halpern arranged the recordings by performer and usually by date. Not conversant in any of the languages she was recording, Halpern wrote phonetic renderings of the titles of recorded songs on the covers of the discs, reels, and cassettes. Halpern occasionally made additional annotations to the covers of the recordings to explain the meaning of songs. Most of the cases, and often the discs and cassettes, are dated in her hand. During her studies of the music, Halpern also analyzed the pitch, time signature, melody, lyrics and other elements of many of the songs. For research see the “Research records” series.

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's commentary: "Blanket called KASELA (note Assu's phonetic spelling) Blanket of Chief Assu i agreen and yellow. A man of Manko made the song for Chief Assu forty years ago. "

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Chief Assu described this as a song for big dance at potlatch. It goes way back several century, maybe 1000 years old. From the song: 'I am grandfather of all- You all have my name, I come down and dance for you.'

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's comments: "Old Woman Song. Kau Minuoko (name of the dance). Belonged to the Doctor Woman. Made up by Chief's Father Kimcho (trans. Ka̱mḵo) 65 years old. Jackoo Melliwamiss, Chief Wamiss daughter, the old medicine woman."

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's commentary: "He would dance with his own mask. Fifty people would accompany him. Sea gull flying around and fish swimming in the trap. Very colourful. Chief Assu made the song for himself. From Prince Rupert some married in and got the mask from further south. Assu got it from Fort Rupert through marriage.

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Chief Assu observed, "This is Wallace's Potlatch Song. He made the song himself. Little bit different song. Suppose he received guest he make quickly a potlatch for them. Chief's father was in Cape Mudge generations. One woman dances for them. Bella Bella, Song of Walish Chief, Pepaquinsa Dance: Means a visitor is coming. Assu sings "Himas" Chief which is in Bella Bella dialect. Translation: We are going to welcome our visitor. Every Potlach Song has similar line "Wi a oh yi ha a wo ye a ha". Translated (partially) by Tom Willie, 1977.

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Song is attributed to KOE JA KUSCH. According to Chief Assu the central message is: "I am giving lots of canoes. Let us make a party for that. Somebody else should hold a big party in response."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's comments: "Cape Mudge side grandfather time of MAOLI-Campbell River relation - your father side-wolf eagle side." Translation. "

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Assu notes this song is well known. Song makes reference to T̓sił̕walag̱a, or "famous woman." It speaks of "T̓sił̕wa̱aga̱lisa̱la - doing great things all over the world."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Chief Assu's commmentary: "Potlatch Song from two generations past. La̱ko̕sa owned it.

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu commentary: "Image is also on the crest of the totem pole. He made this song. When allied families stay together other groups will never harm them. This Whale is a head man. Another recognized person all under supreme command. There are six families all with their own crest in Cape Mudge. The other families tried many times to defeat them but didn't."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's comments: "Campbell River (Wiweḵ̕a̱m) Cape Mudge tribe (Wiweḵa̕yi). Name of Medicine Man ia JACHACHA Kilish(J) 40 years ago he had this Potlatch song made. Somebody made it for him. Translation: "I am going to ask the people from all over the coast, 'which chief has brought the best gift?' I have received only good things from other people."

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's commentary: "Wallace's Potlatch Song. He made the song himself.The song is a little bit different. I suppose he received guests and he quickly made a potlatch for them. Bella Bella, Song of Walish Chief, Pepaquinsa Dance: Means a visitor is coming. Translation: We are going to welcome our visitor. Every Potlach Song has "Wi a oh yi ha a wo ye a ha". Translated (paritally) by Tom Wille, 1977.

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu's comments on the song: " KOE JA KUSCH made it. The lyrics include 'I am giving lots of canoes. Let us make a party for that. Somebody else should hold a big party.'"

Ida Halpern recorded Billy Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. From Chief Assu commentary: "Image is also on the crest of the totem pole. He made this song. When allied families stay together other groups will never harm them. This Whale is a head man. Another recognized person all under supreme command. There are six families all with their own crest in Cape Mudge. The other families tried many times to defeat them but didn't."

Ida Halpern recorded Bily Assu performing this song at his home in Cape Mudge - Weḵa'yi. Comments from William Wasden: "Finished paying daughter's marriage contract debts. Free woman with high status."