The Stories we have included in our collection are 3 different interpretations of Kwakwaka’wakw Creation stories. There are other interpretations available that share the same idea, but with variations to them. We are proud to be able to share these sacred stories, and we acknowledge our elders and our language keepers for allowing us to bring these stories to you.
(Audio coming soon!)
D+ax#@n ]uw xa P{ax^ala (The Eulachon and the Sorcerer)
It was the Sorcerer that brought the eulachon to Knights Inlet.
D+ax#@n h@mox^da p{ax^ala gaxsa d+ax^@n lax D+awade~
When he arrived at the top of the inlet he saw some people camped by the mouth of the river.
Le%e~ laga lax D+awade~, l@%em dux#a[a laxa lilk#ila[{e~.
“What would you like to come up your river” he asked the people.
L@mi da p{ax^ala, w@[a masus da %@%e~xdasuxas qa%os wa?
“Would you like salmon?” “Would you like eulachon to make oil from?”
“l@%e~xsd@mes k{ut@la?”, “l@%e~xsd@mes d+ax^@n x^a %e~da [{in{a?”
It was the end of the winter and people were tired of dried salmon.
La%@m d+@wenxa qelqinux# qalq@sa ]ub@k#.
“Eulachon!” they cried. “We would like eulachon for oil and to eat fresh!
“D+ ax#@n!” %olak{@n l@nox^ l@%e~xsd@mas d+ ax#@n la%e~da [{ina q@%e~nux h@me~.
So the Sorcerer took his blanket from around his shoulders and dipped one corner in the water of the river.
Lamis lawide~ p{ax^ala lawida q^is n@g#ine~, c{up{s@n laxa w{a.
Suddenly the river swarmed the little silver fish …. the eulachons.
%omis da %udaxid d+ax#@n ni>ida.
There will always be eulachon in the river.
Lamis da xulis d+ax#@n laxa wa.
They even used the end of the dried eulachon as candles as its oil burns slow and provides light.
%ug#aq@n %axalx#ida d+ax#@n qa%e~da nig#i>.
L@mis qasdaq#@lba.
Y{ak@ndalas p{ap{asas (Speaking Blind)
There were two old ladies digging roots in a mud flat. They were blind.
Maluk#ida q#@lsq#@lyak# p{ap{as d+ ik{a qa%eda.
Without their knowing the Sorcerer came near and watched them.
%is gage~nola, humo>a susap{ax^ala.
One lady said to the other, “I smell something awful”. The other answered “Don’t talk like that. it’s what we are digging”.
Lam{is misa[{ala, xa n@muk# nik, n{isnaxayaxpala yud+om@nc d+ikac{ow@>.
“No” cried the first lady, It is he that is supposed to be coming that smells bad. Both women laughed.
K{i, nikida n@muk# yud@x#a p{ax^ala lamis d@>ida.
Just then the Sorcerer asked, “what are you doing?”
W@[ida xa p{ax^ala “wigil@s?”
“Digging roots” they said.
D+ ikinox^ qa%e~da d@d+ us
Do you want to see asked the Sorcerer?
%@%e~xst@mas qas dux^a[a%@s?
He didn’t wait for an answer.
%i%isa>as qe~ nanaxme~.
One of the women yelled who are you?
%@ng^#^asos %ik{i da n@muk#?
The Sorcerer screamed “turn the other way” and he grabbed the women by their sides and threw them up into the air and said…”from now on you will be ducks, feeding in the smelly swamps for the rest of your lives.
K#isq@m xida, lam@n [ayu{[us qas la qaqos xulis h@map{a yaxp{ala [@ma%is.
L@mis qasdaq#@lba.
G@lg@lpo>a (Sharing together)
“I am the greatest man of all!” Shouted the man as he picked up a rock and smashed it to the ground.
%olak{al@n gig@me~y{a! nik{i da b@g#an@m, l@%e~ p@lsat{is@m
“No, I am greater than you” said the other man as he also threw a rock with great force.
K{i, nug#a gig@maya! l@%e %ug#aqa sat{is@m.
The Sorcerer came across these two men arguing and fighting and he asked them “What are you arguing about?”
Gaxida p{ax#ala dug#a>a xa luw bib@b@g#an@m qatapa, w@[{a masida lagu>as qatapa.
“Oh we are just killing time, until the Transformer arrives” they said. “We heard he is coming and we want to see him.
%ome~g@nox# %isala qa%e~da p{ax^ala, %om@nox^ %@%ex^sd@nox^# dug#a[e~.
“I am the one you are waiting for” he said. “Are there just two of you”.
Nug#a%@m p{ax^ala nik{i, maluq#a mase?
“Yes”, they answered. “No wives?” “No” they answered…..
%e~, n{ik k{ios g@n@m? K{ios nik.
You wouldn’t be arguing if you had a wife, someone to talk to.
w@[i d@ms p{ax^ala, %ixsalasas p{ax^tala qatapa qusux#q@qatalax^ (wives) qa%as weq#ada%os (companions).
So he split each man into a male and a female.
Lamis qa%ud n@mi da b@g#@nam ]uw n@mi di c{@daq.
They went in different directions.
Lamis da wawaxs@m sadaqa.
L@mis qasdaq#@lba.