The Ozette Prairies of Olympic National Park - Natural Resources ...

painted red with ochre. It was believed that this would protect the dogs from wolves, as it was believed
that wolves would not attack dogs whose heads were painted. (op.cit., p.3:47)
Rituals seem to have been facts of economic life for traditional Quileute. They seem to have been consid-
ered necessary in order to assure success in the critical subsistence activities (hunting and gathering) that
were carried on in the prairies.
Prayers – According to Frachtenberg’s field notes, interviewing Wibaxad Jones and Dixon Payne (5:35),
The Quileute prayed to the Sky only. They prayed every morning early and also late at evening. While
praying “talking to the sky” the prayer faced the rising sun or the moon, raised his hands above his head
occasionally, and dipped some water into his hands and blew the water out of his mouth, talking at the
same time to the sky. Of course, in these prayers they asked for (the help of) certain guardian spirits and
they received these, but all praying was addressed to the sky directly.
Lillian Pullen claimed that as a daily ritual and whenever she went foraging, she said a prayer such as the
following, which she felt was the “right thing to do” (Powell, NB 1989, p.10; Conversations with Nature,
p.4ff).
O yix chikw T’siq’ati. Oqalik sa’a. Hac’hikiyatilo’oL.
Oh, great nature spirit. You are here. Help me well.
Kiyi’atilashiLlich xaxi xi’ paqitti’l. Wataxw ti as’o’osto’o ishas xi’ q’iq’it’sa.
Help me now with my work. Thank you for the many berries.
Song – The Quileute used song in various circumstances: as part of a mythic narrative (the songs that
spirit characters sing in the narratives), for entertainment (e.g. courting songs and, later, drinking songs),
and when an individual was communing with his/her guardian spirit (spirit songs). The latter songs
were especially important.
Amulets - Charms were often carried by traditional Quileute to keep them in a right relationship with
their spirit guardians. Hunters, especially, carried amulets, often in a small woven wistay, “power bag.”
According to Frachtenberg:
Every hunter carried in his bag “a certain medicine” (powdered roots, small newborns or fetal forms of
the animal he is hunting, which will draw the animal to the hunter). A hunter having bad luck prayed
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