Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest Coast

Dr. Ida Halpern (1910–1987), an Austrian-born Canadian musicologist, collected these tracks from several tribes along the British Columbia coast. Songs of the Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) are the most prevalent here, but also included are the Ucluelet and Toquaht First Nations, with informants from the Nuu-chah-nulth and Da'naxda'xw Nations as well. The liner notes provide an exhaustive yet accessible analysis of the musical techniques of the coastal tribes, and of the musicians’ lives. Other recordings by Dr. Halpern include Kwakiutl: Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest, Haida: Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest, and Nootka Indian Music of the Pacific North West Coast.

Track Listing

101	Wolf Song (1) Billy Assu	03:10
102	Wolf Song (2) Mungo Martin	02:05
103	Three Grizzly Bear Songs Fred Louis and Ella Thompson	06:10
104	Grizzly Bear Song Mungo Martin	02:18
105	Raven Song (1) Mungo Martin	03:00
106	Raven Song (2) Billy Assu	01:41
107	Raven Song (3) Billy Assu	01:25
201	Potlatch Song (1) Billy Assu	01:39
202	Potlatch Song (2) Billy Assu	00:58
203	Headdress Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	04:03
204	Feast Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	15:26
205	Finishing Song (Tzi-tza-ka Song) Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	00:51
301	Hamat'sa Song (1) Billy Assu	02:02
302	Hamat'sa Song (2) Billy Assu and Wikwli Smeka	02:26
303	Hamat'sa Song (Hikeles) Stanley Hunt	04:37
304	Hamat'sa Song (Mosquito) Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	01:10
305	Mourning Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	05:28
306	Woman Medicine Song (Medicine Woman) Mary Wamiss	01:30
307	Ghost Song (1) Mungo Martin	01:58
308	Ghost Song (2) Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	01:47
401	Love Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	04:09
402	Marriage Song (War Song for Marriage) Billy Assu	01:49
403	Paying for Daughter Song Billy Assu	02:02
404	Cradle Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	04:15
405	Baby Song Dan Cranmer	02:19
406	Cedar Bark Dance Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	04:30
407	Gambling Song Mungo Martin, Abaya Martin	02:47