Traditions of the Thompson River Indians (cont.)
287. According to others, the Frog.
288. I give this story as a fair sample of a class of stories told among the Indians at the present day. They are often called "White Man's Stories." I cannot say whether they are altogether made up by Indians in recent years, or whether they are old Indian myths added to, and dressed up to suit the times. I do not think, however, that these mixed stories are any improvement on the old ones, although they appear to be favorites amongst some of the young men. Many of them are ludicrous in the extreme. It is only within the last few years that these stories have begun to be told among the Nkamtci'nemux. They seem to originate amongst the Cawa'xamux.
289. Compare this story with the Nkamtci'nemux one of Kokwe'la, p. 45. Tsu'ntia is the name applied by the Lillooet to the personage called Kokwe'la, or Kokwe'la's sku'zas, by the Nlak·a'pamux. This story was related to me by an Upper Lillooet medicine-man called Papaä'ek or Loi'tza, who is married to an Okanagon woman, and who has been living amongst the Nlak·a'pamux for the last twenty years.
290. The Nkamtci'nemux claim that this woman lived in the Shuswap country, and Kokwe'la was born there. See myth of Kokwe'la. They say it is certain that he entered their country from the east.
291. The nearest translation of the Indian words would be, " She used it upon herself." Sexual intercourse is meant.
292. SLaLemux'o'e, or Upper Lillooet of Fraser River, not the E'yut, or Lower Lillooet of the Lakes.
293. Some of the Nlak·apamux'o'e say that people, or the Indians, were created by the Qoa'qlqal, or some other demigod, who made them out of Kokwe'la
294. Indian name: Sel.
295. I cannot ascertain the English name of the fish.
296. This name means "young black bears," or "black bear cubs." The Lillooet claim that the Qoa'qlqal were four brothers who came from the salt water. They were black bear cubs, or at least they went under that name.
297. This story, like the other Lillooet one, was narrated to me by the Upper Lillooet medicine-man, Papaä’ek or loi'tza. I have never heard anything similar to it among the Nlak·a'pamux.
298. See story of Tsu'ntia.
