Tradition of the Xô'yalas. 1
(Recorded by George Hunt.)
Now you will listen to the tradition that I am going to tell you about these spirits, those which are referred to by the Kwakiutl as Ghosts. The village of the spirits of the deceased was in our Under-World, and they had for their chief one whose name was Wealth-coming-up, and he had a younger brother whose name was Having-Maggots-on-Back; and the tribe of Wealth-coming-up was numerous. The chief felt uneasy on account of his tribe, for they really could not be counted. Therefore he was considering all the time whether he would move to a large good place. Then he resolved that he would invite the wise men of his tribe.
He sent four attendants to go and invite in the wise men. It did not take the attendants long to call them, when they all came into the house; and then Wealth-coming-up spoke, and said, "Thank you, my dear ones! This is the reason why I invited you in, to consider whether we move to a large good place, and that we may have a look at the Upper-World." Thus he said. Immediately all the wise men spoke together, and said, "That's it, that's it, the Upper-World!" Thus they said.
Immediately Wealth-coming-up sent his four attendants to go and ask the Ghosts to get ready. Immediately they all got ready. As soon as night came, they all came in great numbers, and the numerous tribe carried their property. Then they all came upward, and the Ghosts each carried soil on his back, and they poured it out on the sandstone. Thus they made a village site at Cut-Beach. As soon as the village site was finished, Wealth-coming-up asked his people to clear. away the trees behind the village, and therefore the place behind the houses of Cut-Beach is thus. Therefore no trees grow up along (the village) on account of the work of the Ghosts, On account of what Wealth-coming-up said about the trees. This is what he said: "Oh, you that grow inland! don't grow seaward of what I made for future
Wealth-coming-up saw a village at Side-of-Tide. Those were the ancestors of the tribe named Xô'yalas, who had for their chief one who was named Property-Maker. As soon as Wealth-coming-up saw the village at Side-of-Tide, Property-Maker also saw the village of the Ghosts. Then Property-Maker wished to investigate the village at Cut-Beach, for he was much surprised because it had never been seen before. Therefore he sent his young men to go look at it. Two young men purified themselves with urine; and as soon as the two young men had finished purifying themselves, they all went aboard two canoes; and all the many young men, the ancestors of the Xô'yalas, paddled. They were approaching the beach of the houses of the Ghosts when the Ghosts began to make a loud noise. Then all the men and women, and also the children of the Ghosts, came out of the houses; and the young men of Property-Maker became dizzy, and their bodies were twisted about. Only two of them were not wrong,--those who had washed with urine. They went back, towing their past tribe. Then the two young men guessed why they were not hurt by the supernatural power of the spirits, because they had washed with urine.
They staid there a long time. Then the tribe learned that Q!â'nêqê?laku was coming to set everything right all around our world. Immediately the great Wealth-coming-up spoke to his tribe. And this is what he said to his tribe: "As soon as Lord Q!â'nêqê?laku comes, I shall ask him to transform me into a rock, and I shall be an island in this water, so that I may be seen by later generations." Thus he said. Then one of his attendants also spoke, and said, "O great chief! I will also be transformed into a rock by Lord Q!â'nêqê?laku; but I will be under you, else you would remain on the rock in this water." Thus he said to him. As soon as he stopped speaking, they went out. Then, after a long time, Q!â'nêqê?laku came. Immediately the great one was invited by Chief Wealth-coming-up. Then Lord Q!â'nêqê?laku went to his house, and Wealth-coming-up spoke to Q!â'nêqê?laku. He said to him, "O great Lord! I invite you that you may turn me into a rock, that I may stay in the water at this river, that I may be prayed to by later generations." Thus he said to him. Immediately the Lord called him to go to the 323:1 Compare, Publications of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Vol. III, p. 377. 333:3 The double-headed serpent is represented as a serpent's body, with a serpent's head at each end, and a man's head in the middle.