51 
and formed part of the now extinct Gitwilksebse tribe, whose home was 
above Lakelse and below the canyon on the Skeena. The warriors of this 
clan went to war against the Nawade (Nawittee) coast tribe, above 
Bellabella. On their way, crossing a lake, they discovered the supernatural 
Snag-of-the-water (Kanem-t&eni’aus). Their canoes surrounded it, and 
repeated attempts were made to pull it out of the water. When they finally 
succeeded, they beheld a complete human figure carved at the foot of the 
Snag. And they gave it the name of Marhkyawl, “ Whole-man. 
According to another account, from Nees-yaranaet (of the Gitsees 
tribe), it v/as first carved at Red-bluffs (Kwarabal), near Fishery bay on 
the lower Nass, presumably for Hai’mas, in commemoration of his aged 
brother Nees-yaranset, whom lie bad killed in order to assume the leader- 
ship of the tribe in his stead. A feud resulted, which concluded with a 
peace ceremony. While the participants were gathered together, they 
were told, “Return to your houses, We are going to the forest to cut a tree 
and stand it in memory of the departed chief.” To use the words of the 
narrative ; 
“It was then that they first carved the crest Trhakawlk, meaning All-one-being, at 
the top of which sat the Raven. When everything was ready, they convoked all the 
Tsimsyans and erected the pole. But they turned it the wrong way, facing the hills 
rather than the river, as was the custom. And the workers seemed unable to turn it, as 
it stood firmly in the ground. The CJitsees women ran to the pole, intent upon showing 
their strength, and turned it.s face to the river. To commemorate this feat of strength, 
they composed a song, which became traditional: ‘Were it not for the Women-of-the- 
Robins ( Ksem-GeeJakyaw ), chief Wcerhaj could not have turned the pole on which sleeps 
the Raven’. This pole was later destroyerl by the Haidas, who then removed the abalone 
pearls that adorned it.” 
From the circumstances of the narrative, we presume this event 
to have taken place some time before 1850; but after the white people 
had first come to the west coast. 
The use of the Thunder-bird (Geeladal) as a crest in the Larhsail 
phratry is exceptional, even though it appears here under a special name 
not known elsewhere. Various clans of the Fireweed or Gispewudwade 
phratry own it as their own. It was also used, quite legitimately, in this 
household as a mask (narhnaivk ), to accompany a dramatic performance 
in the feast house. A performer appeared with a bird mask, the long beak 
of which, cut in sections and mounted on strings and a metal spring, was 
curved back and then rek'ased to the accompaniment of gun-shots, to repre- 
sent thunder.® Tlie regular crest (ayuks) may thus have been derived 
from the mask (narhnawk), as sometimes happened in other instances. 
Or it may go back to the time when Larahnitz’ (or Hlengwah’s) ancestors 
were still part of Qawm’s family at Kitsalas. Qawm owns what is known 
as the Thunder-house ( Kalepleebem-wcelp ) ; and also, a crest named 
Hair-on-tongue (Kawsem-dule), which is obviously related to the Thunder- 
bird of Hlengwah. Hair-on-tongue, a mythological monster, was formerly 
represented on a front house-pole (underneath the rafters) of Larahnitz’^ 
house at Kitsalas. Its features were human-like, with the exception of a 
long beak, the tip of which turned backwards, hook-like — quite like the 
Geeladal. The Hair-on-tongue emblem did not really belong to these 
^Trhakawlk is represented on a house pole at Kitsahis with a paddle between his hands, in the former house of 
Larahnitz, at Gitrhtsaeth, on the railroad side of the river. 
*Thi3 mask is now at the National Museum of Canada, Ottawa. 
*The name of Larahnitz is still one of the two leading names of Qawm’s family at Kitsalas. 
