Swainson’s Thrush, widely known as the Salmonberry bird, is called W̱EW̱ELEŚ. When it sings W̱EW̱ELEW̱ELEW̱ELEW̱EŚ in rising flute-like notes the ELILE get their colour and ripen. Violet Williams and Elsie Claxton told a story about Swainson’s Thrush and Raven:
Swainson’s Thrush invited Raven to her house for a meal. She told her kids to take their baskets out to pick berries. She started singing her song. In her song, she nicknames each of four colours of salmonberries and then sings their common names.
NENELḰXILIḰ (“the little black/dark red-headed ones”),
NENELPḰIḰ (“the little white-headed ones”),
NENELḰEMEḰ (“the little red-headed ones”),
NENELPW̱IḰ (the little blond/golden headed ones”),
W̱EW̱ELEW̱ELEW̱ELEW̱EŚ! (ripen, ripen, ripen, ripen!”).
As she sang, her children’s baskets filled up.
Afterwards, Raven said, “You come to my house.” Swainson’s Thrush did. Raven told his children to go out with their baskets. They did that for their dad. Raven sang and sang in his croaking voice, but the baskets never got full.
from Dr. Nancy Turner and Dr. Richard Hebda’s book: Saanich Ethnobotany: Culturally Important Plants of the W̱SÁNEĆ People.(2012)Victoria: Royal BC Museum p.103