Fernie & Elk Valley Culture Guide Fall 2019 Edition | Page 22

THE KTUNAXA
Ȼ aqahak
– THICK FOREST
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. At that time there was some
disturbance caused by a huge water
monster known as Yawuʔnik̓ , who killed
many of the animals. It was decided
that Yawuʔnik̓ had to be destroyed.
A war party was formed. Yawuʔnik
plied the Kootenay (wu·u ʔaqsⱡmaknik
ʔakinmituk) and Columbia (Miȼ̓ qaqas)
River System. When Yawuʔnik̓ was
killed, and butchered and distributed
among the animals, Yawuʔnik̓ ’s ribs
were scattered throughout the region
that now form the Hoodoos seen
throughout the region.
When the prophecy was fulfilled the
spirit animals ascended above and are
now the guiding spirits of the Ktunaxa.
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 feet went
northward and is today known as
Ya·kⱡiki, in the Yellowhead Pass vicinity.
Naⱡmuqȼin’s head is near Yellowstone
Park in the State of Montana. His body
forms the Rocky Mountains.
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The Ktunaxa occupied the area now
recognized as Ȼaqahak (Fernie) for
thousands of years before the arrival
of the settlers. The area was known
to be a winter hunting area where the
Ktunaxa would hunt mountain sheep,
mountain goat, moose, elk deer and
other animals. They would trap and
fish, and harvest natural vegetation. The
Elk Valley is within Qukin ʔamakʔis
(Land of the Raven) and was known
for its mineral coal. The Ktunaxa would
carry the coal with them to start their
fires as they travelled to the different
encampments as they followed the
seasons in their homelands.
The Ktunaxa used a flint quarry near
Ȼaqahak (Fernie) to make their
weapons and tools. The Ktunaxa would
also trade with other tribes from over
the east mountain range now known as
Alberta, the tribes being the Blackfoot
and later the Stoney. The route used
to join the tribes was the route the
Ktunaxa used to hunt buffalo.
ktunaxa.org/who-we-are/creation-
story/