In our community of Skookumchuk in the Stl’atl’imx territory near Lillooet Lake, we have a population of about 95 people. Since the beginning, our people have coexisted with wildlife, including bears.
In early spring, bears come out of hibernation. They forage for food like fresh plants, roots, and salmon to eat. During this time, spring foliage and new plants grow with the help of the sun. This is my favourite time of the year to hike the Bear Trap Trail that leads up into the mountains. This trail is near the community of Skatin in Stl’atl’imx territory along the Lillooet River; a beautiful place to be during this time of year—and always.
Bears come in all sizes, from small and cute to very large and fat, but they are speedy runners and good, fast climbers. If you see a bear while hiking, do not approach it. But you should also not run away from bears, because they are fast. If you see one, the best thing to do is slowly back up, because this is respectful.
Bears eat lots of cherries in our area—so when they poop, they can deposit cherry seeds, and later a cherry tree might grow there (that’s why we have lots of cherry trees in our territory).
People need to remember to not feed the bears, and keep their garbage in bear-proof containers to avoid bears digging through them and becoming garbage bears.
If bears come near town, they get chased by our local dogs. This keeps them out of our neighbourhood, and reduces their ability to become a nuisance to our community. Once the bear is chased out by the dogs, the coyotes will go after them, too. Though black bears are most often fairly docile, they can become vicious and unpredictable when injured—so it’s best to always give them lots of space!
The word for “bear” in the Ucwalmícwts language is míxalh. The Skatin people are from the Bear Clan and have a song and dance to honour the bear. In doing so, the bear is protected.
This article was written by Lawrence Charlie, and was first published in the Pique newsmagazine issue 30.24 on June 16, 2023.
The Wellness Almanac 