The strange word "Skookum" is translated from the extinct Chinook jargon (the language of communication between Indians and whites in the northwestern United States) as "strong", "powerful" or "courageous". However, it also has other meanings, including "monstrous" and "evil spirit."
This word was used to describe a creature or creatures that lived on Mount St. Helens (an active stratovolcano) in Washington state.
This word was first mentioned in his book in 1859 by the writer and artist Paul Kane, who had previously traveled from Vancouver to Oregon and back. This in itself was a unique person, and the paintings he painted during his travels are now of historical value.
Kane painted landscapes, but most often the indigenous inhabitants of these lands were Indians. In March 1847, he reached Mount St. Helens. Together with him was a group of Indians and although Kane wanted to get closer to the mountain, the superstitious Indians furiously discouraged him from doing so.
These Native American superstitions, according to Kane, did not come out of nowhere, but are the consequence of a terrible one. Once upon a time, two Indians decided to go to this mountain, but only one of them returned home after this campaign, and the second was attacked by terrible "boredom" and ate him with bones.
The Chinooks also attributed all their misfortunes to strange boredom, believing that it was they who caused them. Kane himself translated this word as "evil spirit" and after questioning the local Indians, he learned that this creature (s) lives on Mount St. Helens, but can walk around it.
Promotional video:
Curiosity so flared in Kane that one day he even offered one Indian a good bribe to lead him to this mountain. True, nothing came of it.