Note on the opening aria of Act 3

 

The “Kuyas” aria is not to be performed nor listened to. It was taken from a Nisga’a song, which belongs to the House of Sgat’iin, and is to be sung only by the head of the House. It marks, among other things, the spiritual and legal passing along of inheritance. Singing of the song by others, in other contexts, is considered an egregious breach – harmful to the singers, harmful to the audience, harmful to the House of Sgat’iin.

 

The aria has been replaced by “Dodo, mon tout petit”, composed by Ian Cusson in 2019, based on the original words of Mavor Moore. “Dodo” is to be performed in place of “Kuyas”.