Connect with the Spirit of the Lightning Serpent at Tin Wis Resort

Dr. Barney Williams is a respected tribal elder full of fascinating, winding, serpentine stories, but the Story of the Serpent is special to him. 

Tofino is Dr William's birthplace as a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. For seven years, Dr. Williams served as committee member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, touring Canada and giving therapeutic counsel to the commissioners. 

An Elder in Residence at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, he is a nominee for the prestigious Order of Canada. 

This is the story, as he recalls his granny telling it. 

"She said, 'This big man came down from the heavens and landed on a mountain by our home. And while he was up there doing his meditation and praying, lightning started... and while he was standing there, this lightning struck beside him, and it was a snake.’

So the big man grabbed it and then put it around his waist and used it as a belt. And he then shared it [with our people]. He said to the Creator, "Thank you for this gift." 

I'm going to give this to the people down there so it can give them unity, it can give them courage, but also it'll be a family thing which ties together because it'll be around in a circle, which it usually is, curled up in a ball,” he says. 

So how can visitors to Tofino experience the lightning snake for themselves? One way is by accepting Dr. Williams' invitation to visit the gorgeous Tin Wis Resort in Tofino, BC, to experience a once-in-a-lifetime visceral experience. 

This year marks Tin Wis Resort's 30th anniversary. An oceanfront gem on this cherished Pacific coastline, Tin Wis Resort is the source of so many powerful Tla-o-qui-aht stories. 

Join Tin Wis Resort for 30th anniversary celebrations and the Story of the Serpent

Picture yourself on the beaches and trails near Tofino, on Canada's rugged western BC coast. Barefoot to feel the sand and earth radiating up your body. Backing up against a gigantic cedar tree to feel the towering tree remove your tension. And if you're ready for it, capturing a lightning serpent and coiling it around you for support and protection. 

But first, walk on the awe-inspiring Big Tree Trail on an incredible hike led by Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardians. Soon to be a legendary event, this inaugural guardian hike starts with taking a water taxi to Wanachus Hilthuuis (Meares Island).

On this ancient, majestic island, you'll witness old-growth forest of hemlock, spruce, and western cedar trees that are over 1,000 years old, with the largest tree known as the Hanging Garden. 

The tree is 18 metres wide and about 2,000 years old, making it one of the oldest trees on earth. Wooden boardwalks snake around the tree, giving you views of this giant from every angle. 

For Dr. Williams, and others, the Serpent has also been a symbol of protection. He shares another example:

"I had it on my fishing boat. I painted it on the bow of my first boat because one of the elders said, 'You should put a lightning snake on the bow of your boat and you'll catch lots of fish.' Which I did. I always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. 

And I remember my son saying, 'Boy, we're lucky.' And I said, 'No, we're not, son. Somebody's looking after us.'" 

For just about anyone, there are ways to connect to the spirit of the Lightning Serpent at Tin Wis, says Dr. Williams. 

"If you want to experience the lightning snake," he adds, "go on the Big Tree Trail on Wanachus Hilthuuis [Meares Island] because there's a lot of big, tall cedar trees there. 

We know the cedar tree has great power because of what it's meant to our people."

While you're there to seek a lightning snake, Dr. Williams recommends you get your back up against the cedar bush. 

"Go backwards against the cedar, it'll brush you off. You can ask the cedar to brush off any negative stuff you're carrying. 

I'll do that often, I'll go find a place where there's cedar and I'll brush my negative thoughts away. The other thing you should do is you take your shoes and socks off and connect with Mother Earth and ask her to take away energy that's not good and give you energy that's good," he says. 

"You can't do it with half measures," says Dr. Williams, with a hint of reverence, "you've got to be sincere about what you're doing."

That reverence comes through when he talks about the serpent, and the way it coils around the Tla-o-qui-aht totem as a symbol of protection. 

"It's a thing that looks after people... nature... community. Everything is connected, like the lightning snake... everything."

When you go

The snake will see you soon! Ready to join Barney and the Tribal Parks Guardians this fall and winter?

You can book your Tin Wis Resort stay and guided Big Tree Trail hike today. 

Learn more about Tla-o-qui-aht history in this excellent feature on Tla-o-qui-aht culture the Tin Wis Resort.

Six reasons to add Tin Wis Resort to your Must-See List

For three decades, the Tla-o-qui-aht people's Tin Wis Resort has sheltered travellers from around the world who come to:

• Let the forest bathe over you as you walk and hike the Big Tree Trail
• Kick your shoes off and back against cedar trees
• Stroll the 16-km long, flat, white-sand tinwis beach, a.k.a. Mackenzie Beach
• Surf and feel the spray from the Pacific waves
• Cycle the incredible 25-km pathway that winds through the forest from Tofino to Ucluelet
• Participate in paradise on a secluded shore by a protected ancient rainforest. Check out the resort's beach & surf cam.