THE CREATION OF THE KTUNAXA HOMELANDS
Ȼaqahak ( Fernie ) is in Qukin ʔamakʔis , Land of the Raven
The Ktunaxa ( pronounced “ k-too-nah-ha ”) people have occupied the lands around the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers for thousands of years .
The Ktunaxa enjoyed the natural bounty of the Kootenay region ( Ktunaxa ʔamakis ), seasonally migrating throughout their homelands hunting and gathering , and using the prairie extensively in the summer to graze large herds .
The Elk Valley area was the primary home of the easternmost branch of the Ktunaxa people , and includes the area now known as Tobacco Plains to the southwest of Fernie . The Michel Prairie people used the area near Sparwood to plant tobacco . Their Ktunaxa name is ‘ k ? aqawakanmituqnik ’ and means “ river running into and out again ” ( the Michel Creek into the Elk River ).
The Ktunaxa origin story speaks of a time , before the people , when animals populated the world . At that time there was a disturbance caused by a huge water monster known as Yawuʔnik̓ , who killed many of the animals . It was decided by the animals that Yawuʔnik̓ had to be destroyed . A war party was formed by the chief animal , Naⱡmuqȼin . Yawuʔnik̓ was quick to descend on the Kootenay ( wu · u ʔaqsⱡmaknik ʔakinmituk ) and Columbia ( Miȼ̓qaqas ) river system and the other animals gave chase .
Eventually Yawuʔnik̓ was caught , killed , butchered and distributed among the animals . Yawuʔnik̓ ’ s ribs were scattered throughout the region that now form the Hoodoos seen throughout the region .
In all the excitement Naⱡmuqȼin rose to his feet and stood upright hitting his head on the ceiling of the sky . He knocked himself dead . His body forms the Rocky Mountains . When the prophecy was fulfilled the spirit animals ascended above and are now the guiding spirits of the Ktunaxa . The Ktunaxa people have been in this area since Naⱡmuqȼin fulfilled his prophecy and placed the Ktunaxa people in this area to be the keepers of the land .
FIND OUT MORE : ktunaxa . org / who-we-are / creation-story /
youtube . com / watch ? v = VKaaIM _ zvC0 & t = 1s
Waterways : youtube . com / watch ? v = UUrCg9jRAB4 & t = 14s
Hoodoos : youtube . com / watch ? v = Sez2akRuVCc
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