Ts'ilʔos Provincial Park

The Legend of Ts'ilʔos

Long ago, before white settlers moved in, Ts'ilʔos was once a man. Ts'ilʔos had a wife named
ʔEniyud. They lived in the mountains south of Konni Lake. Even though they had six children together, they had trouble getting along with one another. One day, Ts'ilʔos and ʔEniyud got into an argument. ʔEniyud threw her baby on Ts'ilʔos' lap. She left two children with him and took the other three away. Ts'ilʔos turned into a rock, along with the two children, above Xeni Lake. You can still see the baby in his lap today.

ʔEniyud and her three children headed toward Tatlayoko Valley. On her way, she planted wild potatoes. When she arrived on the other side of Tatlayoko Valley, ʔEniyud also turned into a rock. Wherever you find wild potatoes growing, she planted them.

The Elders of Xeni Gwet'in say that if you point at Ts'ilʔos, he will make it rain or snow. He will change the weather, usually when you are on foot or horseback and far from home. ʔEniyud is the same, but meaner. The Elders say that when you try to camp around her, she will change the weather.

The legend of Ts'ilʔos has been maintained through many generations by the Elders of the Xeni Gwet'in. To them, Ts'ilʔos is a place of respect. Ts'ilʔos keeps watch over the Xeni and their territory, and his story is told here with the permission of the Xeni Gwet'in.