Tasha Faye Evans to Showcase Cedar Woman at Coastal Dance Festival

Tasha Faye Evans is set to unveil a collaborative version of her dance piece, Cedar Woman, at the upcoming Coastal Dance Festival on March 3, 2024. This festival, which celebrates Indigenous dance traditions, will take place at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster and will run from March 4 to 8 at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Originally conceived as a solo performance, Evans transformed Cedar Woman into a group piece featuring six women. “I didn’t want to dance alone anymore,” Evans explained. “I realized there are many women with strong stories to tell, all calling for an ancestor to guide us.” The collaboration is designed to enhance the storytelling aspect of the performance, inviting the audience into a shared experience.

This year’s festival marks its 19th edition and showcases a variety of Indigenous and contemporary works from the Pacific Northwest. Alongside Evans’ performance, attendees can look forward to a mountain goat transformation mask dance performed by the Dancers of Damelahamid, as well as a duet by Sámi singers Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska and Lawra Somby. The festival will also host workshops, discussions, and the documentary screening of So Surreal: Behind The Masks, which explores the journey of Indigenous masks and their influence on European surrealists.

At the heart of Cedar Woman is a mask carved by Ocean Hyland, a Coast Salish visual artist renowned for his engagement with social and environmental issues. The mask embodies an ancestral figure associated with the Great Flood story. In her performance, Evans emphasizes her role as a vessel for the mask’s spirit rather than an embodiment of it. “I could never assume that I could hold that spirit in my body,” she stated. “I get to be in service of the mask.”

The inspiration for Cedar Woman came from conversations with the late Sto:lo writer and knowledge keeper, Lee Maracle, who encouraged Evans to share the story in her own way. Although Evans has roots in Nanaimo, she has spent years reconnecting with her Coast Salish heritage through dance and public art projects focused on land stewardship.

Wearing the mask allows Evans to transition into a ceremonial role, an experience she approaches with great respect. A planned residency to further develop Cedar Woman was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the time spent has allowed her to build the confidence necessary to perform in a manner that honors the cultural significance of the mask.

The mask itself is housed in a cedar box carved by Xwalacktun (Rick Harry), a respected Squamish Nation carver known for his public works. Evans reflects on the importance of the performance, stating, “We are six women together in this moment in our world, hoping for a better future for all of our relations.” She articulates the piece’s purpose, mentioning that Cedar Woman prayed for survival during the Great Flood, and through the performance, they continue that prayer, focusing on the well-being of future generations.

With its combination of powerful storytelling and collaborative artistry, Cedar Woman promises to be a highlight of the Coastal Dance Festival, inviting audiences to engage deeply with the narratives of the past and present.