Coyote Guardian of Mi'kmaq
In Mikmaq tradition from the Maritime provinces of Canada the coyote guardian of the valleys belongs to the rich animistic worldview where all natural features possess spiritual essence. The Wabanaki Confederacy peoples including the Mikmaq traditionally inhabited the river valleys and coastal lowlands stretching from Nova Scotia to the Gaspe Peninsula. Their oral literature describes how Kluskap, the great transformer and culture hero, assigned specific animal guardians to protect different landscapes. The coyote guardian received responsibility for the fertile valley bottoms where the Mikmaq