Fernie & Elk Valley Culture Guide Issue 4 - Spring 2017 | Page 21

As an oral society (one without written
word), the Ktunaxa rely on complex
and sophisticated stories to maintain
historical records and sustain their
culture and identity. Oral histories offer
a unique connection to the past and
often teach important lessons about
culture, the land, and how one should
interact with both people and the
environment.
Squirrel of the Elk Valley
Many many years ago, boastful Squirrel
considered himself to be as strong and
powerful as Grizzly, who is the greatest
of all animals. To prove himself, Squirrel
set out to close the Elk Valley and
declared that no living creature should
enter for as long as he remained alive.
Squirrel guarded the western entrance
of the Valley from Sheep Mountain
(Mount Broadwood, near Elko), while
his wife watched the eastern entrance
near Crow’s Nest Mountain with the
help of Raven. A Bighorn Ram who lived
in a cave on Mount Broadwood helped
Squirrel. Whenever another creature
tried to enter the Valley from the west,
Ram killed it by pushing rock down the
mountainside onto it. If any creatures
tried to enter from the east past
Squirrel’s wife and Raven, they became
entangled in the dense underbrush and
timber, where they starved to death.
Since nobody ever trod the Valley, the
growth soon became impenetrable.
After many years, Yau-Ke’Kam, a
Ktunaxa youth of Olympian stature,
decided to end Squirrel’s foolish pride
and tyranny. He tricked Ram and killed
Squirrel, then forced his way through
to the other entrance of the Valley.
Squirrel’s wife and Raven, not expecting
an attack from that direction, were
easily overcome. Yau-Ke’Kam decreed
that henceforth, any others who reached
too far in greed would meet some
disastrous end...
Thank you to the Ktunaxa Nation, Fernie
Museum, CBT and the Fernie Nordic Society
for this information. This version of the
“Squirrel of the Elk Valley’ story is quoted
from Fernie Historical Association’s 1977
publication, Backtracking with the Fernie and
District Historical Society.
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