Brett Huson explores the significance of the spirit bear (‘maas ol’) to the Gitxsan and Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nations. Indigenous oral histories suggest that the spirit bear's white fur is an adaptation to the environment during the last glacial maximum. Huson highlights the importance of preserving Indigenous knowledge and its role in understanding ecological change and fostering sustainable practices.
The story of the white bear exemplifies how oral histories preserve a particular historical moment and the teachings that travel with the story. Those stories are attached to a specific name and then bestowed upon different members within each nation. Those individuals are responsible for understanding the story and its teachings, just like today’s academic scholars become experts on observable ideas. Through my work on Indigenous knowledges, I’ve been guided to the story of ‘maas ol. Connecting the dots historically has allowed me to expand on what the story of ‘maas ol means in this era of climate change.