WEXES
Moon of the Frog
New Moon Starts
WEXES - New Moon Starts March 2, 2022
This moon in particular is significant because the frog acts as both a witness and a messenger to the Saanich people. He announces the Sacred Season of Plenty and SXE ANEW (frog) interprets “Sacred Season.” Because the frog is honoured as the keeper of the sacred seasons, it is often present on totem poles and in artwork to show that an important event has occurred.
Once again the wonders of nature repeat an amazing process. Mother Earth warms up and the hibernating frogs wake up from their Winter sleep. The frogs announce to the world the coming of Spring.
Weather - The closer the earth to the sun, the more the earth warms up. Rains diminish during this month sunshine is evident. ��Economic Activities
This moon was especially welcomed because it was a signal to put the canoes back into the water as ocean travel would now become safer.
Another food source is herring and herring roe. Our People placed cedar branches in the water along the shore to collect herring roe. They also stored dried herring for the future, a delicacy called QELEJ
�The earliest runs of herring were into Fulford Harbour Cont...
�This was also a good time to net ducks as they gathered on the ocean to dive for herring roe and the spawning herring. Airiel duck nuts (TEKESTEN) were used in the narrow passes between the the islands.
Sections of the reef nete were now sewn together. Family captains would survey the beach and shorline for rocks which could be used as reef net anchors. Rafts were assembled to carry the anchors and floats and cables were prepared for the reef neets.
Cultural Activities The appearance of the frog was a sign to end the activities of the Winter ceremonial dances and move outdoors to prepare for the season when the Salmon People would return.
Tommy Paul of TSARTLIP
Tommy Paul (YEX̱ALEPTEN) is pictured here in a Traditional dance outfit called a paddle shirt. The small ornaments sewn on the shirt are small cedar paddles and signify a relationship to a warrior spirit. Originally it was called a Battle Dress and the ornaments represented war clubs. The intricate beadwork design is a fine example of an adaption. This fine art was developed after contact as an adaptation of the quillwork done by First Nations of Eastern Canada.
The Hair Hat and Anklet of deer hooves are special regalia of Coast Salish Spirit Dancers.
�Tommy Paul would be the Great Grandfather of many WSÁNEĆ People today.
Moon of the Frog (WEXES) When the frogs begin to croak, the old people say that it is time for the winter Dances to end. This is the time Herring would come to the Saanich Inlet to spawn. Our People fished for herring as well as collecting the roe on fir branches. It was then dried for storage.
The winter supplies may be getting low by this time and women would collect new green shoots of the blackberry.