A story is told of how coyote was travelling up the valley from the canyon stopping at all the communities and letting the people know that the creator was coming to visit and that the people should stay around the communities to greet the creator. As coyote travelled up the valleys he met with the same response – move on coyote we have other things to do. When coyote came to the community in the Nicola Valley he once more attempted to share his news that the creator was coming to visit the people and they should stay and greet the creator – they also chose not to listen to coyote and instead went berry picking and hunting. The consequence for the people not listening to coyote is when the creator came to the community and saw the people were not there to greet him; he turned the women to stone who were going to pick berries just outside Lower Nicola, and the men met the same fate who were going to hunt on the other side of Nicola River less than a mile from the women.
Thank you to Shackan Elder, Jimmy Toodlican for sharing this story Less than 10 kilometers from Merritt this rock formation referred to as “Houdous” (sandstone eroded by wind, rain, and freeze-thaw cycles) is sacred and the home of spirits to the Nlaka’pamux people.
