Salish World

 

The spirits came first on to the world. Each spirit had its own song. It was the songs that gave the spirits form. All things named and unnamed were formed in this way. The animals were songs at first and the songs defined them and gave them form. The animals were the first people. This is how the world became populated with animals.

            At first there were no people and the animals could talk to each other. This is the way it was for a very long time. But one day the animals discovered that there was a new animal in the world that no one has ever seen before and no one knew where it came from. The Humans were first sighted just West of Glacier.  This animal walked on two feet. This animal was like a baby though fully grown. This animal had no wisdom, no knowledge, and did not know how to survive.  It walks around in the cold naked, it did not know how to eat or drink. This animal would soon die if the other animals did not help.  Coyote was given the job to make the world safe for the humans. But, Coyote is irresponsible and undependable. Fox was told to keep Coyote on task. Wolf was told to teach the humans how to live and work together. Because the humans were lost and naked and did not know to clothe themselves or to make themselves shelters to protect them from the storms. Thus, the animals taught the humans about fire, cloths, and houses. Because Humans were hungry animals would teach humans how to procure and prepare food. Because every human was lost and walking their own road alone the animals taught humans how to live in communities. The animals taught humans how to ask their spirit guides for help, food and health. The animals would teach the humans and give them what they needed to survive. The animals would teach the humans the ceremonies, about the circle of the four directions and about the four seasons. Humans to this day ask their spirit guides in the form of animals for direction and to guide them.