Th'owxiya : the hungry feast dish

Summary: "When you take something from the earth you must always give something back. From the Kwantlen First Nation village of Squa'lets comes the tale of Th'owxiya, an old and powerful spirit that inhabits a feast dish of tempting, beautiful foods from around the world. But even surrounded by this delicious food, Th'owxiya herself craves only the taste of children. When she catches a hungry mouse named Kw'atel stealing a piece of cheese from her dish, she threatens to devour Kw'atel's whole family, unless she can bring Th'owxiya two child spirits. Ignorant but desperate, Kw'atel sets out on an epic journey to fulfill the spirit's demands. With the help of a sqeweqs (raven), two spa:th (black bear), and a sasq'ets (sasquach), Kw'atel endeavours to find gifts that would appease Th'owxiya and save her family. Similar to "Hansel and Gretel" and the northwest First Nations story "The Wild Woman of the Woods," Th'owxiya--which integrates masks, song, and dance--is a tale of understanding boundaries, being responsible for one's actions, forgiving mistakes, and finding the courage to stand up for what's right."-- Provided by publisher.