Capturing The Spirit of Sasquatch!




        

    

                          C̓a c̓uqḥ ta (Tsa-tsooke-ta)


             More commonly known as Sasquatch, Yeti, or even Big Foot. Is own far and wide, but rarely seen.  One of the most powerful things we Nučaan̓ułʔatḥ “People of the mountains Facing the Ocean” on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, believe in is something we call č̓iḥaamis (Chi-haa-miss), A Sacred Spirit power.  A power that derives from C̓ac̓uqḥta the sasquatch and the spirit walker. 

 

This is Kle-sue and this is her story, it is her quest to Capture the Spirit Of Sasquatch. She often thought it silly at first. Often wondering, Can I really capture a Sasquatch? Or maybe you’re wondering why she would ask herself such a question at all!. It all began with a dream. A dream her father had of her before she was even born. A story she thought, just a story, turns out to be something more,  something much more.

     
          His dream was for his daughter to capture a sasquatch. He would often repeat this dream of his while Kle-sue was growing. Reminding her he wanted her traditional name to be after sasquatch. In his dream she captured a sasquatch, the first person to capture one. Kle-sue is very much different than her father she liked the idea of Capturing The Spirit Of Sasquatch, as opposed to a capture itself. She embracing the idea for it is the life a C̓ac̓uqḥta that intrigues her. They leave behind only a beautiful footprint, no waste no structures to her the spirit of sasquatch is freedom and a deep connection to the lands we live and depend on.

                                                       

          In many cultures through ought  the world dreams are a powerful thing, We the Nučaan̓uł believe that our dream state is considerably more elevated than our natural physical state. Called p̓uwic̓a (poo-wit- tsa) and translates to “seeing pictures or glimpses of the spirit world”. The Nučaan̓ułʔatḥ have long been connected to messages, stories, and even songs that are gifts of the spirit world, gifts given in dream state. All dreams are held in high regard but none more so that dreams during pregnancy.
 
 

              Spiritually speaking, it is in the womb where we have our most spiritual strength. For that is the first journey, A journey taken to become a part of the natural world. The Nučaan̓ułʔatḥ word for Pregnancy is łiciit  (lthit-seat), and is closely linked to our word for spirit which is łimaqsti (lthi-mak-ste). Pregnancy is a gift of life, and one of the strengths of spirit is continuous growth. Dreams born of the spirit, are true glimpses into the spirit world, and desires of the heart before the development of natural limits.

       
         
 Realizing it is much more than a dream, Kle-sue decides to chase her dream. Like any quest it begins with learning. Learning about the habitat, hunting or foraging grounds, fresh water, and just about anywhere one may think to find such a being  . C̓ac̓uqḥta is not found easily, hides so well, that he is seemingly unseen. She decides to catch one is to be like one, think like one, and yes even live like one. That is her secret in Capturing The Spirit of Sasquatch!     
 
 
 
C̓ac̓uqḥta Is so in tune with nature he is seemingly super natural, and has the ability to appear and reappear in places that symbolize harmony. Has the ability to completely blend in an natural environment. The west coast is full of temperate rain forests and the rivers, forests and proximity to the ocean provides prime foraging spots all along the west coast. British Columbia the fore most western province in Canada, as well as the western states Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California provide some of the best terrain for  C̓ac̓uqḥta to thrive.   

 
                                

 C̓ac̓uqḥta Is so in tune with nature he is seemingly super natural, and has the ability to appear and reappear in places that symbolize harmony. Has the ability to completely blend in an natural environment. The west coast is full of temperate rain forests and the rivers, forests and proximity to the ocean provides prime foraging spots all along the west coast. British Columbia the fore most western province in Canada, as well as the western states Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California provide some of the best terrain for  C̓ac̓uqḥta to thrive.

 

          It is on her quest of life she wonders if she has forgotten where she is from? Having been to so many different places, and spending so much time away from home. Does she even know who she is anymore. Will she ever really know who she is. It was in Clear Water Washington State when she first heard the screams, and Clear Water when she was brought back to her story. Her story carried by the sasquatch scream brings her back in time through her memories. 

 

Little does she know that she has been taught Che-ha-miss. One way into the spirit world is by mastering the scream. Hearing one teaches the first steps in spirit walking. Bringing them back where they are most comfortable with, and that is memories. When Kle-sue heard the scream of C̓ac̓uqḥta she was fortunate enough to have had her sister Kles-ik with her. The challenge they now have is to learn to that scream! Spirit Walk to learn to scream like a C̓ac̓uqḥta. “To Capture The Spirit Of Sasquatch” you must learn the scream and find and share your true inner spirit. Not many are blessed with the path so clear to “Spirit Walk” it is up to us as it has always been, to be in tune to nature, be in tune with yourself for that is the true path to                      "Capturing The Spirit Of Sasquatch!! "

By: Wish-key

Rob Dennis Jr

 

Storm watcher Speaks. A fictional tale looking through the lens of: The Nučaan̓uł perspective.

N̓aasiismisʔuksup: Stella Peters



Story by: wišqii Rob Dennis Jr, Dedicated to N̓aasiismisʔuksup Stella Peters, A ḥakuum woman of royalty also a friend, a sister, a mentor, an inspiration and a woman warrior fiercely intent on defending our right to not only survive, but to thrive in a world full of beauty, bounty, life and Love for generations to come. She is “Carries day on the beach woman” she sees and cares for all that the sunlight touches. Knowing full well our rights are also responsibilities if we take from our world, we must also give back to our world!

#SayNoToTheLNG FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/513211212114967/

Also Please Sign the petition!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dont-let-them-unbalance-the-ecology-of-our/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=button

Wiiqḥsi, weʔin, našuk wiiqḥsi hinaayiłʔi. neeʔii čiƛ weʔin neeʔii čiƛ t̓ic̓qaaʕaƛma weʔin. nac̓aačiƛ weʕin, nac̓aačiƛ ƛiiƛiiḥa. wik̓iit tuḥuk weʔin, wik̓iit tuḥuk wiiqḥsiʔi. hamuupšiƛ, weʔin hamuupšiƛ nananiqsu. ʕumac̓uk weʔin nananiqsu, hupiist̓ałʔaała, ʔiisaakst̓ałʔaała, ḥaḥuupst̓alʔaala, ʔuuʔaalukst̓ałʔaała.     
Translation: A storm, It is said, a strong storm in the horizon. hear it, it is said, hear the thunder. See it, it is said see the lightning. Fear not it is said, fear not, the storm. Remember it is said, remember the grandparents. It is said the grandparents say always help each other, always respect each other, always teach each other, always take care of each other.

          The storm is the thunderous rumble of the ancestors and the lightning is the talking stick striking the ground, proclaiming, hear me now. During a big storm in ancient times it would bring together the whole house hold. Everyone sat in their place and listened to the storm. Listened for the lightning strikes.They come from the horizon they are the echo of the ancestral teachings. The horizon the place of no time. Past, present and future are one and the same.

 

Imagine if you will a fire lit long house, filled with people and a little smoke to. all you can hear is silence and the crackling fire, gusts of stormy winds enter once in awhile you feel the air in the room moving all around. Best of all is the growing sent of salmon cooking on the fire. Finally the speaker has spoken by order of the chief were all to listen to the storm, and over dinner we will hear from a storm watcher, storm watchers  are visionaries they are those that are closest to the earth and all the wonders of nature. They study everything, from ancient remains to present ecological systems  and the life cycles with understanding that everything is indeed one and connected. Hišukʔiš c̓awaak!

          In the long house the people feast quietly, for their being nourished completely. The food nourishes the body, the storm watchers lesson nourishes the mind, the feast song nourishes the spirit and the family sitting in unity nourishes the emotional well being. This is the balance to the raging storm of mother nature. For our greatest strength is when the family stands in unity like the wolf our pack is stronger together. 

     

 Storm watcher speaks, the message was loud and clear for she had a vision, she heard the message in the storm rolling in. As thought the ancestors came from tomorrow, for the Horizon is the place of all time Past, Present and Future. She said beware the black cloud, not a cloud in the sky, but a cloud that is everywhere. She then explains it is not natural storm. Said to be something different, this black cloud will not go away, it will stick to the water, beach and anyone or anything that comes into contact with it. 

          The wise ones speculate, what could this black cloud be? possibly an oil spill of some kind, or a never ending storm, the discussion continues back and forth, storm watcher says it may be the cloud of guilt. We must do right by our ancestral teachings. she reminds us of everything, everything our ancestors said that we should value. The lands we live on, the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the nourishing sunlight, the lunar cycle, all the living creatures, our families, our neighbors,  Unity, and most importantly the future generations.

          c̓awaak̓i našuk: “The power of one” is in one’s own actions, self control. I nor anyone else can tell you what to do, Only you can decide your own actions.  If and when you get a chance to use your voice, use YOUR voice think of the big picture, think of tomorrow think of the world and love all that we are connected to…

ḥišukʔiš c̓awaak Everything is one and connected.

Home

Wolf pack: Stronger Together! 

ḥusmin

ḥinayił 

čims

qʷac̓ałi 

ḥuḥ, nisma, č̓aʔak 

c̓eeʔinwa

čitapt

ƛučim

ƛanuuł

qasqiip

          

Natural storm aftermath! what will an UnNatural storm aftermath look like?

ƛiniiḥak and ƛaqaʔas

Everything is One and Connected

                                      Hišukʔišc̓awaak: Everything is One and Connected:

Imagine if you will a beautiful summer day, a long dustyroad, a river bank, evergreens, a clear blue sky and eagles, eagles everywhere.Sometimes nature inspires so much that it will transform metaphysically intoour very being, our emotions, our life lessons and even our spirit. This is onesuch story!

My story begins thirty years ago, the summer of 1983 I had just turned eleven, and on one of my many journeys to the homelands we had asurprise of a life time. There were eagles, eagles everywhere, and If there everwas an awe inspiring time, an defining moment in my life I would have to saythis was defiantly one of them.

My story actually begins before I was even born in the time of my father’s childhood, and that was a very different time on the west coast of Vancouver Island. McMillan/Blodell was a forestry giant an Icon in the logging industry. Sadly their forest practices had much to be desired, and were based out of greed. They logging company pillaged the old growth forests for all that they were worth. Causing devastation in their wake with unsustainable practices, where they would clear cut entire estuaries without a second thought.

It was those unsustainable practices that proved beyond a shadow of doubt, an ancient belief of my people, the Nuu-chah-nulth, and the principle of hišukʔiš c̓awaak “Everything is one and connected”. For theclear cut practices of the ̣1950s left devastation in the form of river damage.So much so that salmon did not return to spawn at that river for decades. No salmon, no food means no predators for salmon is a staple food for all life forms. It also meant that there were no eagles in my homelands

That’s what made that faithful day so defining, I think, apart of my father’s passion and admiration for the eagle was born out of its absence. For decades they did not go home, my father a born fisherman knew the significance of this great bird of prey, and its role in our environment. There was nothing we could do but wait, and the wait was over. The eagles returned,the salmon returned, the spawning season had returned, and that is a great sign of life for all living creatures on the west coast

So back to my story we drive a long gravel road destination Bamfield, and portions of that road run alongside the river bank. My father filled with joy and excitement says to me “Look son, look at the eagles, eagles are everywhere” he was so happy. We stopped and it was impossible to count exactly how many there were, but there were dozens of eagles. They were everywhere, Circling high in the sky, perched in the evergreens, and at the river bank for spawning season is a great sign of life for all living things.

My father sang, and he sang he was so inspired by the bountyof life, that I could see that his spirit was thriving with hope. The return of the Eagle it was that moment that I witnessed transformation, and his spirit bonded with the eagle. That became his spirit power,and every time I sing this song I do so with great pride and fond memories of that faithful day. I had never before witness a song come to life before my very eyes It was something I believe I needed to see at that point of my life.Songs are inherent and before that day I thought they came from a long, longtime ago. I now know that songs are of the spirit and if you are open to songs they are open to you.

Aside from the spiritual awakening my grandfather sat me down for this was a teachable moment if there ever was one. He said look around grandson and tell me everything you see. I tell my him I seethe same thing we all see eagles, the eagles are everywhere. The eagles at the river, I see them in the trees and circling in the sky above and there all eating fish. He says good boy, I will tell you now, what is unseen, they are indeed eating fish, they are feasting, and they not only feed themselves they feed mother nature.

Animals do not all sit at a table together and eat as we humans do, the young and less dominant eagles will go off to eat in seclusion, for survival, for if they do not their dinner will likely be taken by a more dominant eagle. In doing this going off into seclusion to eat, they feed all living things, for the waste of their food is not waste at all. It nurtures the soil, it feeds the trees, and the trees feed the world air. everything is one and connected hišukʔišc̓awaak

This is what my father had decided this song will sing a bout, and I love this song, it is now my song, and that’s how this event transformed into my very being, into my heart and into my spirit for I do love to sing and this song will live on. Songs are spiritual and live well beyond our physical life, they are just as our rights and responsibilities are, they are INHEIRANT. Remember the rights we have are also responsibilities, and remember hišukʔišc̓awaak, Everything is one and connected.

The words in this song are no coincidence the song says:

ḥayu qumł c̓ixʷatin “There are many eagles” (Implied at the river bank)

ḥayu qumł mataas c̓ixʷatin “many eagles perched in the tree”

ḥayu qumł citqʷaa c̓ixʷatin “Many eagles circling in the sky”

Timeless View

Timeless view

My Daughter's Tree 

             Very few places transcend time.  Absolutely a favorite place of mine is that of my grandmother’s house, a place we now call Ucluelet. She has lived there for as long as I have memories. It is a very beautiful place.

             The view from my grandmother’s house is amazing. It is nestled with the snow capped mountains behind, a rocky beach leading out to the bay and then the ocean in the front. It truly is a sight to see. Traditionally we called it It-tat-soo (an ancient place). On that shore line are a variety of trees planted to represent members of my grandmother’s family. My cedar, which is now forty. Is the tallest of all the tree’s and right beside it is my baby’s tree the smallest.  Hers was just planted in August of  2011. You look just beyond the shoreline trees across the bay, and you can see the bright neon lighting on the main street of the town.

To listen from my grandmother’s house is another thing. Close your eyes, and imagine, if you will, waves crashing onto the shore. The constant rhythm reminds me of an ancient song echoing throughought the ages. I can hear it ever so softly. I can also hear cars, horns, boats and the most common sound of them all is that of the seagulls squawking. They are relentless. Day turns to night, and you can hear another echo. That of the fog horn, bellowing throughought the bay. That’s their cue; the seagulls now pass it on to the harbour seals. It is their turn to tell their stories, into the night they sing for they too are relentless.

kiłan̓uus - Harbor Seals 

Beckoned by the distinct smell of the smokehouse fish, the seals make their plea. They bark, “May I also have some fish.” On this night the salty ocean air is taken over by the smoke house fish and the smouldering ambers of the slow burning alder. The smell of the traditional smoke house contrasts with that of the modern view of the township lights almost as much as the backyard mountains contrasts with the ocean beach front. On this night there certainly is an array of scents: the Ocean air, the evergreens, the smoke and the fish.

A constant reminder that the true essence of me is in knowing that I am a man of ancient ways and modern ways. For from my grandmother’s house I truly have a Timeless View.