Cloudwalker, describing the creation of the rivers, is the second in a series of Northwest Coast legends by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd. Their previous collaboration,
Raven Brings the Light (2013), is a national bestseller.
On British Columbia’s northwest coast lies the Sacred Headwaters—the source of three of British Columbia’s largest salmon-bearing rivers. These rivers are the source of life for all creatures in the area. But what gave life to the rivers themselves?
Astace, a young Gitxsan hunter, is intent on catching a group of swans with his bare hands. He is carried away by the birds’ powerful wings and dropped in the clouds. With only a cedar box of water Astace wanders the clouds, growing weaker, stumbling and spilling the contents. When he finally returns to earth he discovers lakes, creeks, and rivers where there were none before. The Gitxsan rejoice at having him home, and name the new river they live alongside Ksien—“juice from the clouds.”
Roy Henry Vickers’ vibrant artwork, including 18 new prints, accompany this new retelling of an ancient story—readers of all ages will be captivated.
About the author
Roy Henry Vickers is a renowned carver, painter and printmaker whose Eagle Aerie Gallery in Tofino, BC, has become a provincial landmark. In 1998, Roy was appointed to the Order of British Columbia and in 2006, the Order of Canada. He is the co-author of the immensely popular Northwest Coast Legends series and the author of several books that showcase his art, including Storyteller (Harbour Publishing, 2014). He currently lives in Hazelton, BC.
Robert (Lucky) Budd holds an MA in history and has digitized many high-profile oral history collections including that of the Nisga’a First Nation. As well as co-authoring the Northwest Coast Legends series, he is the author of Voices of British Columbia (Douglas & Mc Intyre, 2010), a bestseller that was shortlisted for the 2011 Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award, and its sequel, Echoes of British Columbia (Harbour Publishing, 2014). He currently lives in Victoria, BC.