The stories that inspired this book were taught to me by the generous and wonderful elder women of the Nuu-chah-nulth Nation, who are my friends and who for years were my neighbors on Vancouver Island. They have a tradition of sharing, and I am fascinated by tales, myths, legends, poetry and song, so they told me the stories. And they instructed me to put the stories on paper and have them published, for all of our children and grandchildren, but especially for the ones who have been deprived of some of the healing aspects of their grandmothers' culture.
