Who is Súnułqaz'?: A Salish quest

Lillooet traditional cosmology recognizes a supernatural being called sunulqaz', which manifests itself as a gigantic animal, usually a serpent. A being with an etymologically related name and similar attributes is recognized by a number of other Salish cultures, namely, Straits, Halkomelem, and Squamish, while a similar animal, called by unrelated names, appears in yet other Salish cultures. This article discusses the various functions of this being in those Salish cultures where it occurs, as well as the etymological history of the name sunulqaz', and serves as a contribution to cryptozoology and the study of beings not recognized in the western taxonomic canon.