Skana, The Black Fish : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 46 SKANA, THE BLACK FISH The Black Fish (Killer Whale) always fired the imagination of the ancient Indian of the North Pacific who had a great admiration for his ferocious strength. A pack of three or four would attack and kill...
Sisuith Or Se Sook, The Two Headed Snake : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 26 SISUITH OR SE-SOOK, THE TWO-HEADED SNAKE Among the clan legends of the Northwest Indians at Alert Bay, one of the most important is that of SISUITH or SE-SOOK. SISUITH was a fabulous double-headed, horned, OLUK (Snake) with his...
Kuuma, The Bull Head : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 50 KUUMA, THE BULL HEAD This story comes from the Haida Indians of the Queen Charlotte Islands who followed the Raven's Code of Laws and, like all the Indians of the Northwest Pacific Coast, believed in perpetual life. KA-KA (Raven)...
Men A Mooks, The Otter Spirit : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 34 MEN-A-MOOKS, THE OTTER SPIRIT Nearly every woman was supposed to possess the Otter Spirit and some of them had more than one. The more she had the greater would be her dignity. To possess none at all would be to command very...
Ol Hiyo, The Seal : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 23 OL-HIYO, THE SEAL The Seal Society among the Kwakiutls was one of the most important of their dancing and drama-acting bodies at their Winter feasts. Among the younger members of the tribe it was their first step to initiati...
The Shadow People And The Raven : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 56 THE SHADOW PEOPLE AND THE RAVEN The Raven alighted on the beach and took off his wings and beak and became a man. When walking along, the sharp mussel shells attached to the rocks cut and bruised his feet. The day was hot...
Qa Yel, The Great Raven : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 53 QA-YEL, THE GREAT RAVEN The Indians of Alaska and British Columbia believed that the Great Raven was the SAGHALIE TYEE, Creator of the Universe and Master of the Tides; that he existed before his birth; that he would never grow...
Eena, The Beaver : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 22 EENA, THE BEAVER The Beaver, the supernatural giant of extraordinary intelligence was captured and adopted by Kilisnu of the Kicksetti People. The Beaver was greatly respected for he could live longer under water than any other...
Siwash Rock : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 63 The Indian Maiden's Plea
Kee War Kow, The Sun : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 25 KEE-WAR-KOW, THE SUN This symbol belongs to the Shining Heavens, the town of the Sky People. It is the clan totem of the Tsimshians, living along the Nass and Skeena Rivers. The Indians have legends of the influence of the Sun...
The Aristocratic Aborigines : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 18 THE ARISTOCRATIC ABORIGINES The Indians of the Northwest Coast had a method of binding the head of the growing infant with leather thongs, fastened to a flat board. This caused the skull to decrease in diameter and make it grow...
Mateeh, The Goat : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 45 MATEEH, THE GOAT Temlaham, along the Skeena River, was a vast empire of towering timber-covered mountains, scarred deep with KLIP CHUCK (deep canyons), through which rushed foaming rivers teeming with salmon. The fertile valleys...
Foreword : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 6 p. 7 FOREWORD The Thunder Bird "TOOTOOCH" Legends have been written to explain the more important of the single objects carved on totem poles and other articles connected with totemism and the secret societies of the Northwestern...
Skam M, The Halibut : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 41 SKAM-M, THE HALIBUT Long ago, when the Raven was performing the miracle of making the creatures of the universe, his work always made him tired and hungry. He stopped to do a little fishing, catching a peculiar fish which he...
Next. Totem Pole : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 54 The Thunder Bird Totem Pole p. 55 THE THUNDER BIRD TOTEM POLE This Totem Pole was the personal property of Charlie James (Yak-U-Las) master carver and; story-teller of the Kwakiutl Indians who live along the inlets adjacent...
He' E Tlik, The Lightning Snake : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 47 HE'-E-TLIK, THE LIGHTNING SNAKE This legend comes from the West Coast of Vancouver Island: HE'-E-TLIK was born supernatural. At a tender age he refused to eat the food given him by his mother. When asked by his parents why he did...
Kwaie'tek, The Sea Gull : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 44 KWAIE'TEK, THE SEA GULL This folk tale of the Sea Gull comes from the Haida Indians of the Queen Charlotte Islands. If it had not been for Sea Gull there would not have been any fish in the waters of the Pacific Northwest...
The Transition Of Totemism : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 10 p. 11 THE TRANSITION OF TOTEMISM When the early explorers, Captain Cook and the Fur Trader, Captain John Mears, sailed the seas of the Pacific Northwest, a great deal of their time was spent on the West Coast of Vancouver Isl...
Story Of The Mink : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 59 p. 60 STORY OF THE MINK (BORN-TO-BE-IN-THE-SUN) Tum-Tum had been digging for clams in the sand and catching baby crabs in the pools of water left by the outgoing tide. He was tired and was making his way to one of the whale...
Maht Maht, The Duck : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 52 MAHT-MAHT, THE DUCK When Mallard Duck's son was to be married, all the ducks and water-fowl of creation, including Thunder Bird, were invited to the Wedding Feast at "Place-in-which-feathers-fly-about," a camp where these KUL...
Chee Che Ka, The Mink : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 30 CHEE-CHE-KA, THE MINK Mink was a snooping individual. One day, when making his way through the forest, he climbed to the top of a split off cedar to get his bearings. From there he could see a lake. On the beach was a man busy...
Title Page : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], THE THUNDER BIRD "TOOTOOCH" LEGENDS FOLK TALES OF THE INDIAN TRIBES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST INDIANS BY W. L. WEBBER Seattle, Wash. Ace Printing Co. [1936] Scanned, proofed and formatted by John Bruno Hare, March 2009. This text...
Gal Quith, The Cod Fish : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 51 GAL-QUITH, THE COD FISH At the time of this legend, the tribe of BOYA-LITH, of the Bella Bella Indians, were in the throes of a famine. During this period, a young man by the name of Cha-gum-cha-kas, decided to go out and see...
Quil Tum Tum : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 43 QUIL-TUM-TUM This symbol and legend comes from the Indian tribes of Vancouver Island. It tells of QUIL-TUM-TUM, the Earth's first man, surrounded by the Kingdom of Nature; the trees, flowers, foaming creeks, blue skies...
Chak Chak, The Eagle : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 39 CHAK-CHAK, THE EAGLE Years ago the ancestors of the Eagle Clan believed in an after-life for all creatures. Food cast into the fire became invisible and everlasting and was for the departed spirits to partake of on their journey...
Eh Kolie, The Whale : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 48 EH-KOLIE, THE WHALE From the twilight of tribal history the emblem of the whale has been used by the Nootka Indians of Vancouver Island. This tribe were great sea hunters and pursued the whale many miles from land in their Wolf...
The Ill Jow : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 27 THE ILL-JOW The ILL-JOW is a hand-hammered amulet of PIL CHICKAMIN (Native Copper) or of a silver coin held together with a thread of sinew or cotton through the small holes in the flange of the charm. The ILL-JOW comes...
Shaman, The Medicine Man : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 38 SHAMAN, THE MEDICINE MAN The Shaman, to whom all the Indians looked for wisdom, was their counsellor in sickness and health. At all times he was looked to to keep the evil spirits under control. This spiritual power was generally...
The Young Raven : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 49 THE YOUNG RAVEN Young Raven is a very important Mythical Character to the Indians inhabiting the Queen Charlotte Islands and those living amid the inland chain of channels of Alaska. His exploits were similar to those of Thunder...
Wolalee, The Salmon : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 32 WOLALEE, THE SALMON The Salmon is a symbol of abundance as it furnished the Indians with their principal food. The Indians have many beliefs about its origin, also as to how to prolong its migration. The ancient Thompson tribes...
Tootooch, The Thunder Bird : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 20 THE THUNDER BIRD The Thunder Bird is the crest of the Raven Clan. It is not a mere idol, but a powerful, mystic emblem having its origin among the native tribes of British Columbia. The Medicine men and other members of these...
Le Loo, The Wolf : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 31 LE-LOO, THE WOLF The Wolf was the sacred animal spirit of the SHAMAN (Medicine Man) and his TILLICUMS (Family). The Wolf people are one of the oldest clans of the primitive Northwest Indians. The legend of the Nootka Indians...
Kwel Kwel, The Owl : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 40 KWEL-KWEL, THE OWL This crest is used by the Tsimshian and Nootka Tribes for ornamenting objects pertaining to the clan and illustrating certain incidents in their legendary history. A great Chief had a son who was always crying...
Chief Sisa Kaula's Totem Pole : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 58 CHIEF SISA-KAULA'S TOTEM POLE Modelled After The Original Erected In Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada. This Totem Pole tells in Indian figures the story of Chief SISA-KAULAS' great ancestor SEE-WID. SEE-WID was a delicate young...
Welala, The Mountain Spirit : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 42 WELALA, THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT WELALA is the mountain spirit of the Tsimshian tribes of the Nass and Skeena Rivers of British Columbia. It is also used by the Tlingets of Alaska and is found on the well known Kicksetti Totem Pole...
Shwah Kuk, The Frog : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 29 SHWAH KUK, THE FROG According to the mythology of the Nootka Tribes of Vancouver Island, SAGHALIE TYEE, Creator of the Universe, lived in the Celestial Regions, where two gigantic frogs were the guardians of his household. When...
Property Woman, Or Great Grandmother : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 36 "PROPERTY WOMAN OR GREAT GRANDMOTHER" The ancient aristocratic aborigines of the Northwest Coast at all times had property in mind. This consisted of furs, blankets, canoes, slaves, totem crests and wives. His chief interest lay...
Preface : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], The Spider Lady and Thunder Bird and His Four Sons p. 5 PREFACE The object of writing the "Thunder Bird" Legends is: To induce the Indians to think about themselves and to unite and band them together in all common purposes. Although...
Chet Woot, The Bear : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 33 CHET-WOOT, THE BEAR Among the Indian tribes of Alaska and British Columbia there are many tales relating how their ancestors acquired an additional totem for their family poles. This particular one is of interest on account...
Indian Baskets : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 14 INDIAN BASKETS For ages there have been a great many Indian tribes living on the sheltered inlets and along the rivers that reach far into the heart of the mountain ranges of the Pacific Northwest. All tribes make their own...
Stick Game : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 19 STICK GAME Among the aborigines of these regions gambling was one of the ruling passions. Although they had dice and throwing games, the most popular was the stick game. Each tribe had its own method of marking the sticks as well...
The Thunder Bird Totem Pole : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 64 THE THUNDER BIRD TOTEM POLE STANLEY PARK, VANCOUVER, CANADA. On the Knight Inlet of British Columbia there dwells a portion of the Kwakiutl Indian Tribe. Among them the Thunder Bird is known as TS-O-NA. This legend tells...
Slag'ame, The Butterfly : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 37 SLAG'AME, THE BUTTERFLY Among the many adventures and travels of Thunder Bird, while he was putting the finishing touches on creation, he met with Butterfly, who was also travelling around. They became quite chummy. Being...
Ho Xhok, The Crane : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 28 HO-XHOK, (HO-HOOK), THE CRANE Among the Kwakiutl Indians, the HO-XHOK was recognized as a fabulous bird, and always associated with the Thunder Bird. HO-XHOK is represented as having a beak similar to that of a crane. This...
Pi Chikamin, The Gift Copper : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 35 PI-CHIKAMIN, THE GIFT COPPER The gift coppers were curiously shaped plates two and a half feet in length and weighing from fifteen to twenty pounds. They were made from native copper brought from Alaska and the Nass River. These...
Kutze Ce Te Ut, The Wood Worm : * "The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends", by W.L. Webber, [1936], p. 24 KUTZE-CE-TE-UT, THE WOOD WORM The Wood Worm legend is a very important incident to the tribes affiliated with the Haidas of the Queen Charlotte Islands and the Mainland of British Columbia. A daughter of a Chief had entered her...
