The USFS Sign
On my front dash I have two small stuffed animals who are my road tripping familiars, as it were, with coastal native names.
The first, whom I’ve had for over a decade, is Skookumchuck. Skookumchuck is a river that feeds into the Chelalis and is Chinook for strong or rapid water. The second is a beaver named Wishpoosh. About 10 years ago we were putzing about Lake Cle Elum and stopped at a Wenatchee National Forest boat launch/picnic area called “Wish-Poosh”. There was a sign that told the story of Wishpoosh and Coyote and the creation of tribes in this area. Since then I knew I wanted a beaver companion for my car. About 2 years ago I finally found the right one.
This is their story:
In the early days of the world, Wishpoosh, the giant beaver, lived on Lake Cle-el-lum. It was a beautiful body of water and full of fish. The animal people wanted to fish there, but Wishpoosh killed them as fast as they came near. He would drag the animal people into the water and drown them.
Lake Cle Elum
Coyote made up his mind to kill Wishpoosh. He fastened a sharp spear to his wrist with a stout cord and began to fish in the lake. After a time, Wishpoosh attacked him. Coyote speared the beaver with all of his might. Wishpoosh plunged to the bottom of the lake and dragged Coyote along with him. Coyote fought so desperately with Wishpoosh that the banks of Lake Cle-el-lum were torn out. The water surged through the break and then plunged through the mountains and down the canyon. The water rushed madly into the broad Kittitas Valley and formed another lake. Wishpoosh and Coyote struggled so hard that they destroyed the banks of the new lake. Then the waters surged madly into the basin of the Cowiche, Nachess, and Atahnum. The waters made a bigger lake, and Yakima was flooded. A large lake was formed at Toppenish.
The fight between Coyote and Wishpoosh continued with great fury, and they tore out the high banks of this large lake. The water rushed swiftly to the meeting place of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers. Here the water formed another large lake. Wishpoosh and Coyote fought so furiously here that the banks of this lake were broken. Wishpoosh swam down the Columbia River with Coyote following him at full speed. He tried to stop the giant beaver but failed.
At last Coyote and Wishpoosh reached the ocean breakers at the mouth of the Columbia River. The beaver killed salmon and ate them. Coyote saw that Wishpoosh had grown stronger. Now Coyote was the wisest and most cunning of animals. He changed himself into a tree branch and floated toward Wishpoosh. Wishpoosh swallowed the tree branch. Coyote changed himself back into an animal again. He took his spear and cut the sinews inside of Wishpoosh. Thus, the beaver died.
my Wishpoosh
Coyote was tired after his long fight with the monster beaver. He called to his friend Muskrat, who helped drag the body of Wishpoosh to shore. Coyote and Muskrat cut up the giant beaver and threw the pieces up over the land, thus creating the tribes of men. The Nez Perce were created from the head of the giant beaver, to make them great in council. The Cayuses were created from the massive arms of Wishpoosh, in order that they might be strong and powerful with the war club and the bow. From the beaver’s ribs, Coyote made the Yakimas and from the belly the Chinooks. To make the Klickitats, Coyote used the beaver’s legs, so that they would become famous for their skill in running. With the leftover skin and blood, he made the Snake River Indians who thrived on war and blood.
Coyote came back up the Columbia River, but he forgot to give the Chinooks and the other coast tribes any mouths. The God, Ecahni, noticed this as he came along and assembled these tribes in one big crowd. Ecahni took a stone knife and gave each member a mouth. As a joke, he cut the mouths crooked, and in some cases he made them large. That is the reason the Coast Tribes do not have perfect mouths.
sources:
http://www.pacificnorthwestjourneys.org
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/wa2.html
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