Review: Cloudwalker by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd

Review: Cloudwalker

By: Christine Smith McFarlane

Cloudwalker, is a beautiful book that describes the creation of the rivers on British Columbia’s northwest coast. It is the second in a series of Northwest Coast legends by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd.

On British Columbia’s northwest coast, there lies the Sacred Headwaters—the source of three of British Columbia’s largest salmon-bearing rivers. Cloudwalker tells the ancient story of a strong young Gitxsan hunter, who is intent on catching a group of swans with his bare hands.

Astace, the hunter dives under the waters to try and capture the swans but when the swans figure out what he is doing, they start to fly away, lifting Astace up with them into the air and dropping him into the clouds.

With only a cedar box of water Astace wanders the clouds, growing weaker, stumbling and spilling the contents. When he finally returns to earth he discovers lakes, creeks, and rivers where there were none before. The Gitxsan rejoice at having him home. they name the new river they live alongside Ksien—“juice from the clouds.”

Roy Henry Vicker’ artwork is vibrant and 18 new prints, accompany this new retelling of an ancient story—readers of all ages will be captivated.

Cloudwalker is published by Harbour Publishing Co Ltd and is 40 pages. ISBN 978-1-55017-619-3