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. 22 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/