The Story of Gwa'nalalis and the Gwa'ni River

Pal’nakwalagalis Wa’kas (Dan Cranmer) shared the Gwa'ni River story in 1930:

When the Transformer (or Creator), Kaniki’lakw, travelled around the world, he was eventually returned to the place where Gwa’nalalis lived. In an earlier encounter, the Transformer had beaten Gwa’nalalis, who was ready for his return. Kaniki’lakw asked, “Would you like to become a cedar tree?”

Gwa’nalalis replied, “No, Cedar trees, when struck by lightning, split and fall. Then they rot away for as long as the days dawn in the world.”

Kaniki’lakw asked again, “Would you like to become mountain?”

“No”, Gwa’nalalis answered, “For mountains have slides and crumble away for as long as the days dawn in the world.”

The Transformer asked a third question. “Would you like to become a large boulder?”

Again, Gwa’nalalis answered, “No. Do not let me become a boulder, for I may crack in half and crumble away as long as the days dawn in the world.”

Finally, Kaniki’lakw asked, “Would you like to become a river?”

“Yes, let me become a river that I may flow for as long as the days shall dawn in the world,” Gwa’nalalis replied. Putting his hand on Gwa’nalalis’ forehead and pushing him down prone, Kaniki’lakw said, “There, friend, you will be a river and many kinds of salmon will come to you to provide food for your descendants for as long as the days shall dawn in the world.”

And so the man Gwa’nalalis became the river, Gwa’ni.