Ever since she was a small child, Helma Swan, the daughter of a
Northwest Coast chief, loved and learned the music of her people.
As an adult she began to sing, even though traditionally Makah
singers had been men. How did such a situation develop? In her own
words, Helma Swan tells the unusual story of her life, her music,
and how she became a singer. An excellent storyteller, she speaks
of both musical and non-musical activities and events. In addition
to discussing song ownership and other Makah musical concepts, she
describes songs, dances, and potlatch ceremonies; proper care of
masks and costumes; and changing views of Native music education.
More generally, she speaks of cultural changes that have had
profound effects on contemporary Makah life.
Drawing on more than twenty years of research and oral history
interviews, Linda J. Goodman in "Singing the Songs of My Ancestors"
presents a somewhat different point of view-that of the
anthropologist/ethnomusicologist interested in Makah culture and
history as well as the changing musical and ceremonial roles of
Makah men and women. Her information provides a context for Helma
Swan's stories and songs. Taken together, the two perspectives
allow the reader to embark on a vivid and absorbing journey through
Makah life, music, and ceremony spanning most of the twentieth
century. Studies of American Indian women musicians are rare; this
is the first to focus on a Northwest Coast woman who is an
outstanding singer and storyteller as well as a conservator of her
tribe's cultural traditions.
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