Beaver

What it looks like

Beavers are brown with large front teeth and a flat oval tail. Beavers live in rivers, eat bark, leaves and stems, and build dams to control the water flow in streams.

What it was used for

Beavers were formerly caught in deadfall traps. Some Kwak'waka'wakw used to wear fur robes made from the skins of beavers and other animals. Dried castor, the strong-smelling gland found in beavers, was sometimes mixed with water for use as a laxitive. A Kwak'waka'wakw man wishing to cause a rainfall would squeeze a beaver castor in one hand while placing his other hand in water and saying a prayer for rain. After this, he would place the castor where it could be eaten by birds. After contact, beaver skins became a valuable item within the fur trade.