November 2016 - The Legendary Ts'emekwes

Eons before John W. Burns, a Chehalis Indian Reserve school teacher and government agent for Native Americans began collecting stories from tribes in the Pacific Northwest area, the Lummi people knew of the Ts'emekwes.    Burns would spend 3 years gathering his stories before publishing in 1929 and naming this creature and others like it "Sasquatch", an unfortunate corruption of the Halkomelem language.  People would read his stories, dismiss them as wild fiction and fun entertainment, but the Lummi (People of the Sea) knew better.  They had been recording in stories and art the many, many encounters of their people with these creatures for thousands of years.  

This coin celebrates the legend of a the mysterious creature that roams the lands of Washington state below the shining heights of Mount Shuksan (šéqsən / "high peak" of the Lummi).  Their distinctive call shatters the night as they roam the wilds.  As man pushes further and further into their territory, sightings are being reported more and more often.  The curiosity of everyone who  loves the outdoors is peaked and many have begun to really research and learn more of the wonderfully rich world of Native American legends.   

While many may doubt his existence, too many encounters for too many years support the continued presence of this elusive creature.  Get out and explore and maybe you'll learn the truth.  Share your experiences with this coin and join a world of story telling magic!