When it comes to Canadian monsters, the Sasquatch and the Ogopogo get all the press, and for good reason. With deep roots in native tradition, these legendary creatures can be reliably expected to appear to a handful of witnesses every year, their annual emergences sometimes becoming major stories on social and mainstream media. Despite their relative ubiquity, wildman and sea serpent stories are eclipsed in pervasiveness by tales of another mysterious being which somehow manages to evade the limelight. Of all the unusual creature tales to populate Canadian folklore, none is more common, yet paradoxically more obscure, than those involving little people – elusive, vertically-challenged denizens of the civilized frontier who are said to be endowed with preternatural power. Nearly every First Nation in the Great White North, from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic, has traditional tales about diminutive often-hairy men and women who haunt the high mountains or rocky riverside cliffs. Unlike most native legends, similar creatures are also surprisingly prevalent in Euro-Canadian folklore, from the fireside stories of Icelandic-Canadians, through the fisherman yarns of Newfoundland, to the ancient conte of old French Canada. And of all the personal anecdotes sent to me by email, encounters with little people are by far the most common.
In February 2021, I was contacted by a miner from Quebec whose remote cabin on the St. Lawrence River was besieged at night by two mysterious creatures, one of which, unbeknownst to the witness at the time, answered to the description of the lutin, a mischievous goblin of French-Canadian folklore. In the autumn of 2023, I received three independent first-hand reports of little people encounters in the province of Ontario, which accorded with local native legends of the memegwesiwak – little hairy water sprites said to haunt riverside cliffs and cutbanks – as well as old pixie tales once told by English immigrants to Ontario’s Oxford and Waterloo Counties. And throughout 2024, I received four personal stories involving little people, set, respectively, in the bush near Cross Lake, Manitoba; Sooke Country in southern Vancouver Island; Toronto, Ontario’s Scarborough district; and the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in New Hampshire, USA. In May 2024, I received a cryptid message from a woman who dabbles in mysticism, who claimed that during her astral journeys, she has interacted with a variety of little people, who have conferred advice and protected her from other astral travellers intent on stealing her energy. And more recently, in early November 2024, I was contacted by a woman from Vancouver Island who saw a little person when she was a girl, and who has since had several inexplicable experiences which she believes are connected with the Island’s little elusive inhabitants. What follows is this woman’s story in her own words, which she has generously allowed me to share with you here. Enjoy!
My name is Lisa Hamelin. I’m 39 years old, from Vancouver Island. When I was 7 years young, I lived in a small town called Port Renfrew, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
I lived with my mom, younger sister, our cats and our dog. Our dog was a German Shepherd-husky. She meant the world to me. We rented a small house in an area of town called Beach Camp.
Living in a small town, we managed to find ways to keep ourselves entertained. We’d go to the Library and take out stacks of books, as many as we could carry. We’d camp on a sandy beach across the San Juan River Bridge close to our house. The beach is now part of the Pacheedaht Campground.
We made friends with First Nations people that lived on the reserve close to the beach.
We’d go swimming at the nearby lakes – Lizard Lake, with water so pure and crystal clear as could be, and Fairy Lake.
I had always wondered why it was called Fairy Lake.
Fairy Lake is known for a famous, mysterious hemlock tree that grows from an old Douglas fir log that sticks out of the water. This little tree has been a tourist attraction for many years.
Our Mother had always taught my sister and I to respect nature, the forest and all the creatures that live within it. People come from all over the world to see our beaches and beautiful forests on Vancouver Island.
Many visitors seem disappointed to see a lot of these forests disappearing, the massive clear-cuts and all of the wasted wood. It’s a real shame. Some of these people do not have such beautiful trees and forests like we do on Vancouver Island.
Port Renfrew is known as the big tree capital of BC, with some of the oldest and largest trees on Earth. Here, you can find trees like Lonely Doug, a giant Douglas fir that was spared from logging; Canada’s largest Sitka spruce; and Canada’s gnarliest tree in Avatar Grove, as well as impressive Douglas fir and red cedar trees. The Red Creek Fir, an ancient Heritage Tree, recognized to be the world’s tallest Douglas Fir tree on Earth, is at least 1000 years old.
We would go on hikes through these beautiful ancient old growth forests. We hiked to see the Red Creek Fir Tree one day. My mother told my sister and I that this tree was magical, that it could talk. She told us that, if you listened closely, you could hear it. I hugged the giant tree. The trunk was so wide I could not reach my small arms all the way around. I leaned my head on the trunk of the tree and listened closely, but heard nothing.
One sunny afternoon we went for a hike down a path we had never hiked before. I believe it was actually a small inactive logging road. It was just my mother, my little sister, our dog and myself. There was no one else around… at least that’s what we thought. I remember feeling a bit uneasy as we walked up this overgrown path. I didn’t want to run into a cougar. I felt a bit safer with our dog, and our mother usually had a walking stick for protection in the forest.
We walked along the path of dirt and stones in a forest of Douglas fir and hemlock trees that reached to the open sky. Wildflowers, moss and ferns grew along the forest floor that surrounded us. Sunlight beamed through tree branches, spreading its warmth and light. There was a bend in the path… we passed by a hemlock tree, sunlight sparkled through its branches. Then we came to a clearing in the forest. In the middle of the clearing was an old tree stump from a tree that had been cut down some time ago.
Sitting upon the stump was a little man who looked like a dwarf. I felt a sense that he was sad in a way because the tree he sat upon was cut down. He was about 3 feet tall. He looked to be in his 20’s, he didn’t have a beard, and his hair was dirty blond to light brown. He was dressed in earthy coloured clothes and a brown hat that flopped over at the side, like the Phrygian cap worn by ancient miners as a protective headgear. The dwarf wore unusual elf-like boots that were a brownish golden colour that twisted at the toe. My eyes were fixed on his boots. They intrigued me. I did not feel afraid. In his hand was an old-style long stem wooden tobacco pipe. We were speechless. Our dog didn’t bark. No words were said. We just looked at each other. His eyes fixed on mine. He grinned with a mysterious look on his face like he knew something I did not. Then suddenly, he magically disappeared before our eyes. Without a trace, he was gone.
To this day we remember what we saw, the day we saw the magic in the forest.
I had once thought these things only existed in Fairy Tales.
I was wrong. There is so much we don’t know. Our limited perception of what is real in this world is nowhere near to the truth. Some do not wish to accept the possibilities that to them, sound completely ridiculous. Most people are so busy working 9-5 jobs, they just don’t have the time and are disconnected with the natural world.
Over the past few years, I reminded my mother of the incident a few times, asking her if she could remember exactly where we saw the dwarf. She could only recall that it was near the San Juan River. This is not far from Fairy Lake.
Nearly 30 years have passed, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I needed answers…. I couldn’t just let it go. I couldn’t just leave it in the past. I needed to know if anyone else has seen these magical beings in Port Renfrew, if anyone else knows about them. I started doing some research into this.
In the beginning of my research, I learned that it’s quite rare to see these magical beings that live in ancient forests, in mountains and in caves. They are known to be skilled metal workers, with superior knowledge and the ability to become invisible and shapeshift into animals. It has been said they get power from magic stones given to them by the fairies. Sometimes they will reveal themselves to people. Some miners have claimed to have seen them. First Nations people have myths and stories of encounters their people have had with the ‘little people’. Many cultures all over the world also have stories. Remains of these little people have been found, as well as tools that they have made.
On Iceland, more than half the population believes in elves that are said to live in an invisible realm. Hundreds of people claim to have seen them. Even their government seems to acknowledge their existence by altering their path of construction, avoiding elf territory. If they attempted to work on sacred elf territory, unusual things would happen….machinery would strangely just stop working, for instance.
These beings have disconnected themselves from humans for good reasons. In the past, humans have tried to control and even destroy them, and so they have gone into hiding. They have become somewhat forgotten, an ancient race that many people believe does not exist.
I have mentioned these beings to a few people. Some people believe in the possibility, and are fascinated by the subject. Others have rolled their eyes in disbelief, acting as if I am crazy, or insinuating that I must have been on drugs. Maybe it’s best that they don’t know the truth.
I believe one of these magical beings came to me in a powerful dream I had a few years ago. In the dream, it was summer in Port Renfrew. I was lost in the forest on the mountainside. I came across a small cabin. A dwarf family lived there. They knew I was lost. The father sent his son to take me back to my civilization. We walked through a long, wide forest path. Alongside the path were other dwarf families that were camping. Eventually, we met the end of the trail that lead to the beach. At the foot of the trail was the largest old growth tree I have ever seen. We walked onto the beach, by the San Juan River. I noticed a strange pipe under the sand that led to the ocean. The dwarf told me that this has helped power their homes for thousands of years, and that they harness energy from the ocean. There was a tidal wave that stood still by the shore. It was very much alive, but as if frozen in time. It stood still not touching the dry sand on shore. The dwarf told me not to be afraid, that things here can be what you want them to be. Then the dream ended. I’ve never had a dream about the dwarfs before, and have not had one since.
I continued my research…. I read a First Nations legend called When The Mountain Dwarfs Danced. The story takes place on Nootka Island off the west coat of Vancouver Island. In the story the dwarfs invite a native man to the Maquinna Point Cave, where they danced around a large magic drum. The man accidentally kicked the drum which was said to have caused an earthquake and then a tsunami. This was a significant yet unfortunate event in our history. I also read about the anthropologist Philip Drucker, who may have stumbled upon Dwarf cabins on the mountainside while exploring Nootka Island.
I met a guy who was visiting a woman staying next door to me in the city a few years ago. I shared my story of the encounter I had in Port Renfrew. He told me that his Grandparents lived in Port Renfrew. They would talk about the ‘little people’ living in the forest near their property, and would leave apples out for them. I don’t know for sure if this is true, but it’s possible.
I was in the hospital about a year ago. I met a member of the Pacheedaht First Nation from Port Renfrew while I was in the waiting room. I asked him if he knew anything about these magical little people in Renfrew. The room had other people quietly listening in on the conversation. The young man told me his people would see them often at the Long House, before it caught fire and burned to the ground. I don’t know if what he said was true, but it’s possible. At some point, a hunter got in on the conversation and asked me…. ‘I have hunted in the forest many times. How come I have never seen these little people?’ he said, sounding somewhat incredulous. I replied to him that the reason was that they are very elusive, that it’s rare to see them, and to keep in mind that they shapeshift and can make themselves invisible. The other people in the room smiled and seemed amused.
I grow tired of the noisy, polluted ever-growing city where I live now. I can’t wait to get away. Two summers ago, I was lucky enough to camp in Port Renfrew again with my boyfriend and our dog. We made a quick stop at the Renfrew library to perhaps find some information. To my surprise, the librarian who worked there when I was a child still works there. I asked her if she heard or knew anything about the ‘little people’. She heard a lot of Bigfoot stories around there, but nothing on the ‘little people’. I shared the story of my encounter with her. She was intrigued.
We stayed a few nights at the Pacheedaht Campground near the SanJuan River bridge. At some point, just before dark, something suddenly fell off a tree branch, and then quickly scurried off into the woods. I thought perhaps this was a curious ‘little person’ watching us, or maybe it was a bear. I don’t know for sure.
An older man from the Pacheedaht Nation was driving an ATV selling firewood. He drove up to our RV. We started a conversation. I told him about my encounter. He was fascinated, and he believed me. He then shared his own experience with me. He was near Fairy Lake alone in the forest when he suddenly heard chattering voices around him. The hair on his arms stood up. He was a bit spooked. He knew then that he wasn’t alone in the forest, that there was definitely something out there. He also mentioned that in the ‘30s, there was a group of people at Fairy Lake, like a cult that stayed near the far end of the lake, and that they were strong believers in the Fairy People.
We decided to camp at Fairy Lake for a few nights in our RV. I wanted to check out the far end of the lake where I have never explored before. We went out with our zodiac to the far end of the lake. We came to a narrow waterway that connects the lake to the San Juan River. As we neared the end of the waterway, the current became stronger, and could pull you down the river, so we quickly turned around. Heading back up the waterway, I noticed several mysterious holes in the rock wall alongside the water. It was fascinating. I’d never seen anything quite like it. All these years, I never knew. The first thing I thought when I saw them was “Fairy Holes” . I snapped pictures with my camera.
We also hiked Avatar Grove and got to see Canada’s Gnarliest Tree. There were other people hiking the trail as well. On the trail heading back to the road, a little girl began a conversation with me about fairy people. She told me that she was also camping at Fairy Lake. She told me that she saw a fairy at Shawnigan Lake where she lives. Her parents followed not far behind. I turned and looked at them. They smiled at me in approval. I think they knew what we were talking about. The little girl told me that she believes fairies are real, but many people don’t believe in them. I told her that I believe. I asked her if she knew why Fairy Lake was called Fairy Lake. She did not know. I told her that it is believed that Fairies live around the lake. She smiled.
We wanted to see the Red Creek Fir again. It had been over 30 years since I saw it when I was a child. We drove up the logging road. The path to the tree was just off the side of the road, marked by a small sign. I could hear logging machinery far off into the distance, it echoed through the mountain valley. I felt excited to have this opportunity to see this tree again. I felt a bit uneasy, as the path was narrow, surrounded by deep forest. I didn’t want to startle any wild animals, so I brought my mini steel tongue drum. I played it as we walked up the path deeper into the forest.
We passed by a few other giant trees. I noticed a giant healthy tree that had been recently cut down just laying there left to rot. It’s a real shame someone would cut down such a beautiful tree just for the sake of it.
In a few short minutes I could see the top of the Red Creek Fir just above the forest canopy. We continued on the path until we reached the tree. I hugged the giant tree, just as I did when I was a child. I leaned my head on the trunk of the tree and listened closely, but heard nothing. Then I walked around the tree. Beside the tree, on the ground, lay a large flat piece of wood. This piece must have fallen off the tree years ago when it was struck by lightning. I walked upon this wood, playing a random melody on my tongue drum. Then I stopped. A few minutes later, I suddenly heard music in the near distance. My first thought was that someone else was nearby. Then I recognized the sound of the music…. it was the sound of my tongue drum. It was the exact melody that I was playing minutes before playing back to me through the forest, like a recording. I told my boyfriend what I just heard. He suggested that this must have been an echo. I don’t think this is possible. It was very unusual. I believe that this must have been the Fairy People playing my music back to me somehow. Maybe this sounds a bit crazy, but I cannot find a more logical explanation.
A few months later, back in the city, I stumbled upon a video on the internet called 3 Hours of Little People Legends from Canada by Hammerson Peters. I began to find more answers. I was thrilled to learn the Cowichan Tribe believed the mountains that dominate the interior of Vancouver Island were inhabited by mysterious elf-like beings. I learned Martha Douglas Harris had written about these elusive beings. She wrote in a 1901 book, History and Folklore of The Cowichan Indians, that they were a strange people who can make themselves invisible, they’re almost like spirits, that they are supposed to live in caves.
My boyfriend told me the other day “You’ll never catch one “. My response was “I do not wish to catch one, I only want to help them”. They are important and mean a lot to me.
Their habitat is at risk from logging in the area. There are also endangered species at risk that can only survive in these ancient old growth forests.
The Fairy Creek Valley watershed in Port Renfrew is one of the last ancient old growth forests left in BC. Hundreds of protesters have been arrested trying to save what remains of old growth forest in BC, and particularly Fairy Creek Valley. Fairy Creek Valley also holds spiritual significance to First Nations People. Many would like to see the valley protected.
Nearly 90% of these ancient old growth forests on the South Island have already been logged. These are some of the largest trees on Earth. It’s a no brainer, we need to protect the last old growth ecosystems in Southern BC. The ecological value of these ancient old growth forests is much more important than the timber value. The preservation of these forests is important for future tourism, and for the endangered species who call them home. People will continue the protest to help protect what’s left, before these ancient forests and endangered species disappear forever.
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