Sunday, February 17, 2013

Mystery of Sasquatch

    Mystery of Sasquatch!
Story By: Wišqii “Rob Dennis Jr”
 This is Kiixin, birthplace of my people, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island BC Canada. The Mystery of Sasquatch is as old as time itself. ƛiišin my hereditary chief, whom I dedicate this story to, has a responsibility to protect the identity of the sacred squatch, to repay a debt for it was his ancestor that was saved by the mysterious one in the beginning of time, and to honor that debt he will always seek out new ways to protect the identity of the one called Sasquatch. 

Imagine if you will the beginning of time načquʔa the first man of the world has built his home and he is going to explore kiixin to invite the worldly creatures to his house for a feast. He wants to showcase the pride he has for his wife ḥominiki and their daughter ḥupałʔas. He wants to live up to what he said in asking for her hand. He promised to always love his wife, and daughter. For they mean the most to him and he will always, always take care of his family. He is the first man of the lands, he takes a new name it is ƛiišin of Kiixin and he is the first ḥawił, he is the king of kiixin and it is his responsibility is to take care of his family and the environment that takes care of them. He then goes out to invite all in the land, the sea, the air, and beyond to proclaim that he will always care for everything and everyone. It is here in the beginning that he realizes the principle, hišʔukʔiš c̓awaak "everything is one and connected" 

 He starts to explore, and naturally he starts with the place he is physically at, his home of kiixin. He meets many animals on the lands of kiixin he meets: naani, the grizzly bear, he meets k̓ayumin the cougar, he meets ƛuunim the elk, and the king of the land animals qʷayac̓iik the wolf. All of the creatures of the woods talk of each other, but they also talk about the mysterious one. The one everybody knows of, but does not see. c̓acuqḥta (Tsa-tsook-ta) more commonly known as Sasquatch
                                           
After exploring the lands of kiixin he begins to explore the air of kiixin, up above, and high in the sky he sees many creatures. There is k̓aack̓aamin the butterfly, qʷinii the squawking sea gull, naḥtač the mallard duck, and the king of the air animals c̓ixʷatin the eagle. oddly enough again they all talk of each other, but they also talk about the mysterious one. He asks himself "what is c̓ac̓uqḥta and where do I find him?"       

Next he then goes to the waters of kiixin many sources of water ponds, lakes, rivers and ocean means there are many water animals, he meets sac̓up the spawning tyee salmon, waaʕit the frog, kiłanuus the seal, the king of the water animals kakw̓in the killer whale. they too talk of the mysterious one c̓ac̓uqḥta. The fact that all creatures from the lands, sky above and the waters are all talking about the mysterious one certainly has the attention of ƛiišin. He is very curious, and is determined to find him.
                                                                                                                                              
He finds one place where the lands, waters, and air all meet, the place is called čemataqsuł which means place that “imitates sea monster.” It is door way to the spirit world. It is also abundant in food it serves as a distraction to that keep that doorway hidden. This tidal zone is the is visited by every creature of this world, from the most dominant of predators to the lowest on the food chain. The tidal zone, is abundant in foods, and a place where all life goes to gather foods rich in nutrients. There are many foods yeʔisi the clam, hiʔištuup the rock sticker, hasaamac̓ the crab, and of course everyone favorite t̓uc̓up the sea urchin

čemataqsuł is a very dangerous place, it is a place where worlds collide. The strong winds and the Ocean currents collide with the land base, it is a supernatural place and the doorway to the spirit world where the magical creatures reside. There is hiʔƛiik the sea serpent, chemataqsu the sea monster guardian of the doorway, kakaw̓inčiił the transforming killer whale and the king of the spirit world tiickin the Thunderbird    

It is there in the spirit world that he learns that c̓ac̓uqḥta is both natural and supernatural. He can walk both worlds and a favorite stop of his is the tidal zone, for the food of the natural world is what he likes the best. ƛiišin finds out about this and every dawn he “Carries day on his shoulders” combing the beaches looking for the mysterious one. At home his lovely wife Hominiki and his beautiful daughter often call him nasiismis for he is always carrying the day on the beach, in search of the mysterious one, for that too becomes one of his names nasiismis "Carries day on his shoulders"      

One morning ƛiišin spotted a huge foot print the sheer size of this print dwarfed his own. He was very excited he had never before seen a print this size. He goes on the prowl, he is looking to find what left behind this print, he thinks to himself this has got to be a print of the c̓ac̓uqḥta. he runs along the shoreline taking big huge leaps and steps trying to keep up with the creature. forgetting he is at čematqsuł a very dangerous place. Next thing he knows a blankets of fog has been thrown over the shoreline. He cannot see but he is too close to give up, and continues to seek out the mysterious one. Running along the rugged shoreline in a blanket of fog is very dangerous and ƛiišin finds out the hard way. A steep fall knocks out the young chief ƛiišin. The rising tide could soon swallow him up.  c̓ac̓uqḥta the mysterious one senses that something has happened, he pauses forgets about the chase and goes back to help the young chief. 

  c̓ac̓uqḥta in a huge demonstration of compassion for his fallen foe, picks up ƛiišin and carries him to safety. The young chief drifting in and out of conciseness is aware that the mysterious one is helping him out. No words are spoken but ƛiišin feels that if the mysterious one is trying so hard to hide his identity then, so be it. He will no longer try to expose him. He will instead protect him. Upon his return to Kiixin, he makes his first proclamation to protect the identity of c̓ac̓uqḥta for he is indebted to c̓ac̓uqḥta for saving his life. 
     
Himwic̓a Storytelling: Sasquatch prints:  
In the physical world, we know Sasquatch exit’s because of the foot prints he leaves behind. They are just as he is larger than life, larger than any being in the all the lands of kiixin. Often spotted on the shoreline, for he too loves the foods of the tidal zone. To scare a person from stalking a c̓ac̓uqḥta as ƛiišin once did. He tells the children if you step in a foot print of Sasquatch you too will become a c̓ac̓uqḥta he tells the children the beaches are prints and they play a game called c̓ac̓uqḥtaʔił Jumping from rock to rock, or log to log for if your foot touches the beach you too turn will into c̓ac̓uqḥta, and then you will have to hide from the others. 

This is the seed he plants in the children for he does not want for them to truly discover the mystery of Sasquatch. He does this to protect the identity of the mysterious one.  

Himwic̓a Storytelling: Sasquatch Hair.

Pawaac̓imyiłʔič “Come gather around the nest”: Cixwatin the eagle call the little ones to gather around the nest. for his tale is one of intrigue one of great power, mystery and transformation. One day an ordinary eagle gathering objects for his nest, finds a feather, but attached to that feather is a Sasquatch Hair. He adds that feather and Sasquatch hair to his the nest little does he know the power of the c̓acuqḥta hair. The hair of the mysterious one has great powers and he just gave that power to his eaglet The boy grows up fast and strong, very much more strength and speed than the rest of the eagles. The power of the hair of c̓ac̓uqḥta helped the boy to grow and grow continuously. Towering over all the other eagles, and when he flapped his wings it was like thunder cracking in the sky. This powerful one had transformed, and was was given the name tiickin “ThunderBird.” and he is now the king of the spirit world. 

Himwic̓a Storytelling: Larger than Life.
Everyone talks about c̓ac̓uqḥta he is often called by many names including sasquatch, yeti  and big foot. But no other beings are more sure of the size of the mysterious one, than that of the water creatures. To look upon him through their eyes you truly would see an enormous squatch. Beware he is taller than any other animal in the natural world, and the massive size of the mysterious one, often freezes people in their tracks. The fear is in seeing him is great, for everyone talks about seeing him, yet no one really does. That’s the scary part and the creatures of the water think that if you see him too up close it may be the last thing you see.   


Himwic̓a: Storytelling                                                                   Sasquatch scent
čiḥaamis the great spirit power of the sasquatch, is his stench, many people talk of the scent. It is very strong and unlike any other being or animal that we know of. His smell identifies him as truly unique.
Because of the mysterious one we have identified č̓iḥaamis as a spirit power or a monster, it is a great power, and in creating fear of the mysterious one through these short stories we must remember we also create curiosity. respect is what balances fear and fearlessness. We must have respect for the unknown, respect for the life and all that gives us our life.
This is how c̓ac̓uuqḥta lives, the one with the biggest footprint leaves behind the smallest foot print. According to our history and the animals of the world, C̓ac̓uqḥta does exist, yet there is no evidence of this existence. For the mysterious one lives in the moment, taking only what is needed to survive. Much can be learned by the daily life of the mysterious one but it is just that a mystery, one that we need to solve. We must ask ourselves how can we truly be one with our surroundings how can we find “hišuk c̓awaak” the concept of Everything is one and connected, is a concept as old as time itself and must be continued through ought the ages. 

There are many things in the world that are universal many things that all life depend on. I have listed much of here in my story to live, to not only survive, but to thrive. We must have clean air, clean water, clean lands and the day itself. We also have mystery that is the main purpose of c̓ac̓uqḥta the mystery. Many things in our life will never be solved and that is OK, if all c̓ac̓uqḥta is doing is creating mystery then we are OK. We as people need to be striving for something, living vicariously with a role and a responsibility to take care of all that takes care of us. To create holistically deep within our being our body, mind, spirit and emotions to create that  mystery, intrigue and Imagination so that we can live in the moment take only what we need. The mysterious one embodies the spirit and intent of our people, and the hope that our FOOTPRINT we leave behind is just that a foot print and not a path of destruction. For the path of c̓ac̓uqḥta is one we should all follow. 


This story has not ended, it has just begun.
To Be Continued!
Wišqii: Robert Dennis Jr 2013





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