BC Aboriginal Legends & Symbology

The Beaver has a great understanding of nature and working in harmony with his surroundings.  He is very flexible working towards goals and gaining a sense of achievement.  The beaver symbolizes good work ethics, a strong will and protector, with a strong sense of family.
Beaver is known as the carpenter of the animal kingdom, and is consider the industrious one. The Beaver is said to have been a woman at one time Tsimshian legends tells of this woman who dammed a stream to swim in it. Because she refused to get out, she was transformed and her leather apron became a Beaver's tail.

To Northwest Coast Aboriginal peoples, Dragonfly is a symbol of change, transformation and swiftness.
 
First Nations people of the Northwest coast observe the Dragonfly to be a creature of the wind and also of the water.  He represents a symbol of change in the view of self understanding and the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity and the insight of the deeper meaning of life. The Dragonfly’s swift flight and its ability to move in all six directions radiate a sense of power and poise something that comes only with age and experience.

The Eagle is the ruler of the sky and has the ability to transform itself and is also has a connection with our creator.  It symbolizes grace, power, and has great intellectual abilities.  The gift the Eagle shares is the ability of foresight, and an indication of good times to come.
 
The Eagle is a sacred, wise and noble creature representing power and prestige to the First Nations People of the Northwest Coast.  The Eagle is one of the most utilized birds embodied in their art and mythology and can be a symbol of chieftainship as many families own or inherit the right to use the Eagle crest. 
 

The old woman had some dried salmon backbones which had to be soaked along time before they could be eaten.  So she soaked these in the creek which flowed past their little hut.  While they were soaking these in the creek covered with stones, a huge grizzly bear came along and ate the salmon.  Tsak came along and saw the bear eating the last of their food and he was angered and began calling the bear many abusive names, saying the grizzly was a thief.  The huge bear was very angry at the abusive names he was being called and in anger said to Tsak,”if you don’t stop calling me abusive names I’ll swallow you in one gulp.”  “Go ahead swallow me,” said Tsak.  So the huge grizzly came upon Tsak and swallowed him whole without any effort.