A History of Raven - a Haida Folk Tale

One afternoon, when I was thirteen, I remember it was the summer school break, my mother received a visitor to our home. The man had brought a gift of a beautifully woven cedar basket and native hat from the ladies in Old Massett. After a few minutes of conversation, I was called into the room for introductions. My mother introduced him as Chief Matthews, but as he took my hand he did something remarkable.

"I am Chief Wiiaa," he said, drawing himself up to his full height, "and I adopt you into the Raven Clan. From now on you will be known as San Glana, which means 'the Dawn'.

I was astounded to say the least. To this day, I have no idea what prompted him to bestow such an honor on a thirteen year old, gawky school girl. I stood, transfixed, struggling to understand what he had just said, too polite to ask him why. After ensuring that I was pronouncing my new name correctly (San Glanay,) he invited me to sit with him.

"Do you know why you have been adopted into the Raven Clan and not the Eagle Clan," he asked, once I was seated. I replied that I didn't know, but that I thought eagles were more majestic than ravens. After all, I was thinking, who wants to be related to an ordinary bird that looks like a crow? (At that time in my life, I was sadly uneducated!)

"Boys are born or adopted into the men's clans, and girls are born or adopted into the woman's clan. Because my wife is a Raven, you will now be a Raven," he said.

"High at the top of the world, there was a great long house where Thunderbird lived with his daughter. Inside his house was a chest, and inside the chest was a great treasure that Thunderbird kept under lock and key.

One day when Thunderbird's daughter was taking a walk in the forest, Raven followed her, and when she became thirsty, he changed himself into a pine needle and floated down the stream where she unknowingly cupped him in her hands and swallowed him with the water. Several months later, she gave birth to a son, who was Raven in human form.

Now, the son was the apple of his grandfather's eye and Thunderbird wanted nothing more than to see his grandson grow happy and strong, and gave the boy nearly everything he wanted. One day, Raven was playing quietly with his toys when his grandfather unlocked and opened the treasure chest. Inside, Raven could see two shining disks, one gold, the other, silver.

Thunderbird, seeing the look of delight on his grandson's face, showed Raven the disks and a small cloth bag full of twinkling silver medallions. He told Raven these were the Sun, Moon and Stars and that they were his greatest treasure. Then he closed and locked the chest again.

Raven thought quickly, and started crying, reaching his chubby hands towards the chest. At first Thunderbird refused to open it, but when Raven continued to cry inconsolably, he gave in. Taking out the bag, he let Raven play with the Stars, but told him that he would be very angry and would never let him play with his treasure again if he lost them.

Raven quickly promised that he would be very careful, and Thunderbird gave him the bag. For weeks, Raven played with the Stars, under the watchful eye of his grandfather, always careful to return them to the bag and lock them up before he went to sleep. Thunderbird grew complacent as he saw that Raven was so careful with his treasures, and decided he didn't need to lock them up, content that Raven would look after them.

One night when everyone was asleep, Raven stretched to his full height on his tip toes and changed back into a bird. Grabbing the bag of Stars, he flew out the smoke hole, spiraling higher and higher into the sky. When he reached the top of the sky, he opened his beak and shook the bag, scattering the Stars across the heavens. The People looked up and saw the light, and were afraid, but when they saw the light did not fall, they grew braver, and Raven was pleased."

"When Thunderbird woke the next morning and saw what Raven had done he was overcome with a terrible anger. He forbade the boy to ever go near his treasure again.

Raven was devastated. For days he cried and cried. He refused to eat or drink, and nothing his mother did could console him. Finally his mother beseeched Thunderbird to speak with Raven. Upon seeing how distraught his grandson was, Thunderbird relented and allowed Raven to see the gold disc in the chest, but when he was finished playing with it, the disc was locked up once again.

This went on for a time, until Thunderbird was satisfied that his grandson had learned his lesson. Then one day as Raven was playing contentedly with the Sun, Thunderbird had to leave the long house, and Raven was left alone with the disc. Quick as a wink, Raven transformed into his true self and grasping the disc in his beak, he flew out the smoke hole to the top of the sky. There, he opened his beak and tossed the Sun into the heavens.

The Sun's light shone upon the People, bringing an end to the darkness. For the first time, the People could see the mountains and trees and rivers, and they rejoiced. Raven flew down to them and told them that the sun would always bring the light in the day, and the moon would bring the light for the night, so they would never be in darkness again. Then he flew away, very pleased with the trick he had played on Thunderbird."

And that my friends is how Raven freed the People and brought them out of the darkness, as told  to me many years ago by Chief Wiiaa of Masset. I hope you have enjoyed it as much I did.