THE KTUNAXA
Ȼ aqahak
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– THICK FOREST
The Ktunaxa people have been in this
area since Naⱡmuqȼin fulfilled his
prophecy and placed the Ktunaxa people
here 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 Yawuʔnik
had to be destroyed. A war party was
formed. Yawuʔnik̓ 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.
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
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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/
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