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Haida Raven Myth

Semantic Breakdown of the Raven Spirit from
the Northwest Native American understanding.

B. Rael Ali
4/24/2014




The Raven has for a long time been a symbolic reference in the Haida Native North
American culture. The Raven has also appeared historically throughout several cultures.
The following text takes on a philosophical diagnosis of the Raven myth and Raven
historically to gain a clear understanding of what the Raven figure truly represents.
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B. Rael Ali
2/13/2014
North Native American History
Critical View of the Haida Raven Myth
My focus is on the study of the Cultural beliefs of the Haida tribe in the
Northwest Alaskan regions; particularly the ideals that exist behind the tales of the Raven
Spirit. This paper will analyze of the Haida cultural beliefs of the Raven while comparing
and contrasting the beliefs about the Raven by the many cultures throughout history as
well as the present day view of the Raven. My intent of the compare and contrast is to
discover a common custom for the symbolism of the Raven, so that there may be an
understanding of its significance in our lives as well as gain an understanding of the
Haida Native Americans mindset.
The Haida culture and the Native American culture in general is the focal point
culture when it comes to this discussion because of the great influence the Raven has on
the lives of the Native Americans. In fact the Raven spirit is portrayed with many
sculptural likenesses throughout their culture such as totem poles, masks and pipes as
shown in figure #1. There are also paintings of the Raven figure and costumes made in
order to honor the figure that is the Raven and perform a ritual dance so that the wearer
may to inherit the abilities of the Raven figure and bestow those abilities on the tribes
members. The Raven dance will be addressed later on once a true over standing of the
Raven figure is discovered.
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Figure # 1: Native Raven Drawing and Raven Mask
To the Haida culture, a Northwest Native American Tribe living off the coast of
Canada, the Raven is a very powerful and sacred symbolic figure. The Raven figure is so
deeply imbedded in the cultural tradition of the Haida that it is included within their
Creation Stories as the bringer of light to the cosmic darkness that at one point in time
engulfed the entire world.
According to a Haida story, in the beginning the world was in total darkness.

The Raven, who had existed from the beginning of time, was tired of groping about
and bumping into things in the dark.

Eventually the Raven came upon the home of an old man who lived alone with his
daughter. Through his slyness, the Raven learned that the old man had a great treasure.
This was all the light in the universe, contained in a tiny box concealed within many
boxes.

At once the Raven vowed to steal the light.

He thought and thought, and finally came up with a plan. He waited until the old
man's daughter came to the river to gather water. Then the Raven changed himself into a
single hemlock needle and dropped himself into the river, just as the girl was dipping her
water-basket into the river.

As she drank from the basket, she swallowed the needle. It slipped and slithered down
into her warm belly, where the Raven transformed himself again, this time into a tiny
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human. After sleeping and growing there for a very long time, at last the Raven emerged
into the world once more, this time as a human infant.

Even though he had a rather strange appearance, the Raven's grandfather loved him.
But the old man threatened dire punishment if he ever touched the precious treasure box.
Nonetheless the Raven child begged and begged to be allowed to hold the light just for a
moment.

In time the old man yielded, and lifted from the box a warm and glowing sphere,
which he threw to his grandson.

As the light was moving toward him, the human child transformed into a gigantic
black shadowy bird-form, wings spread ready for flight, and beak open in anticipation.
As the beautiful ball of light reached him, the Raven captured it in his beak!

Moving his powerful wings, he burst through the smokehole in the roof of the house,
and escaped into the darkness with his stolen treasure.

And that is how light came into the universe.
(http://www.magma.ca/~jbremner/blog/months/RavenStealsSun.htm)


My approach to the Haida creation story will be an interpretation of allegory for it
is hard to believe that the Native Americans would honestly think that the world was
illuminated in such a manner of a raven stealing light literally. For one to analyze the
Haidas Raven Steals the Sun myth there is a need for a have a step by step breakdown so
that we may gain understanding of the separate parts only to put the define parts back
together in their proper places granting us a holistic over standing of the myth.
According to the Haida myth the Raven is a being that existed since the beginning
of time, not before it; meaning that the Raven is an actual creation itself, not a creator.
To create, according to Websters dictionary as it applies means produce or bring about
by a course of action of behavior. Anything created is created with intent and purpose
whether that purpose to problem solve of simply expression. Webster defines time as a
measurable period during which action, process, or condition exists or continues. Giving
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the history of the nature of the Raven one would assume that the purpose of the creation
of Raven in the Haida perspective would be to further complete the process of creating
the reality in which it exist in time and space; Making the Raven a tool or aid of the
universal creator. The myth goes on to explain that the biggest problem in which the
Raven tool was designed to solve is the confusion of the darkness as it was tired of
bumping into things.
To properly examine the myth in question one would have to decide if it is
metaphorical darkness the Haida people are speaking of or of literal darkness meaning
without light. To define the darkness in the story one must further read to clarify the
where this light that would offset the darkness will be receive from. The myth explains
that at that point in time the keeper of the light would be an old man. Common Customs
and generalized symbolism tell us that historically old men are representations of
knowledge wisdom and understanding through the passing of time and the experience
gained of that old mans process throughout life. With the understanding of the
symbolism of the old man in the myth, one concludes that the myth is speaking of
metaphorical darkness; representing confusion and the light representing knowledge
wisdom and understanding of the dark matter cosmos. As the Myth progresses the Raven
vows to acquire the light that the old mans possess. The Raven goes about obtaining the
light through transformation. Websters definition of transform as it applies to the myth is
to a change in composition of structure to change outward form or appearance and to
change in character or condition. In the myth the Raven transforms itself it to a hemlock
needle in order to impregnate the daughter of the old man becoming the grandson of the
old man. Being on a metaphoric pathway of understanding of the Haida Raven myth one
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would deduce that in order to gain the knowledge, wisdom and understanding that the old
man possessed, the Raven would have to indoctrinate its self into the old mans family
through Immaculate Conception. This proposes two points of reasoning the first is that
the Raven has no father to a give the knowledge to it and it also symbolic of humbling
ones self, as a child would for an adult, in the presence of wisdom in order to gain
understanding and learn the knowledge the old man has and so you may develop your
own wisdom At first the old man would not give the Raven the light but after gaining
the trust and love of the old man the Raven child was given the light as a present. Upon
the receiving the gift the Raven child took its true form of a bird, flying away in order to
further spread the wisdom he had acquired from the old man.
Through the breakdown of the Haida Raven myth I conclude that the story is a
process of becoming and discovery of ones true self through gaining knowledge wisdom
and understanding. I propose that the allegory of the Raven creation myth was created by
the Haida to precipitate culture and instill values with in the younger generations in a
manner that would treat a serious conversation light heartedly and in a fun perspective
that would still evolve the thought processes of the younger tribes members minds
throughout maturity.
For the Haida people the Raven represents revelations of truth and the humbling
of one self before it. Once one gains truth it is that person responsibility to spread truth to
those that are willing to listen
Even through analyzing the Haida Raven myths symbolic message, one would
still question; why the Raven? What is the distinction of the Raven compared to any other
bird of prey? The sleek black bird known as the Raven is one of the more common birds
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that the Haida would experience soaring above their heads. At a mature state the Ravens
wingspan could reach about 25 inches in length and 2.6 pounds in mass. The Raven can
live up to 21 years in the wild. Ravens have co-existed with humans for thousands of
years and present day many regard the Raven as a pest or bad omen. But historically the
Raven has been renowned as a bringer of light.

Figure #2: Raven



In Greek mythology ravens are associated with Apollo, the god of prophecy as
shown in figure #3.
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Figure #3: Apollo with Raven
In the New Testament as well, ravens are used by Jesus as an illustration of
God's provision in Luke 12:24. (King James Bible) Other representations of the raven in
the bible are shown in Figure #4 A&B.

Figure 4A: Noah with raven as scout Figure #4B: Elijah being feed by Ravens
The Hindu deity Shani is often represented as sitting on top of a giant black raven
or crow, as shown in Figure #5.
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Figure #5: Hindu Deity Shani

These are few of the many examples throughout history that the ominous Raven
has been use to explain and convey many symbolic messages. The real question that I
proposed is; is the Raven itself a symbolic creature of the creator or is the Raven more
symbolic to the creations? I.e. Mankind.
Nevertheless the Haida tribe uses the Raven figure as a symbolic reference for the
message that they want to convey; truth acceptance and truth abundance.
The Haida tribe are a very culturally expressive people; Cultural gems such as
totem poles masks and painting aid with the passing down of culture from generation to
generation. One of the most profound representations of the preservation of Haida culture
and the ideals of the Raven specifically is the Raven Dance. The Raven dance is a
ceremonial dance done to accredit the Raven and embody the attributes of the Raven
within ones own body or temple. The Haida use the Raven Dance a physical cultivation
of the spirit through mental release and rhythmic process. The dancer dresses up in a
costume that reflects the Haidas creative expression that is the Raven. The dancer wears
a wood carved mask of the head of the Raven representing the ability to see truth. The
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dancer would also wear the wings and feathers of the Raven that represents the ability to
spread the truth as the Raven spreads is wings across the sky.
In response to my evaluation of the Haida Raven myth I will create my own raven
mask and wings via Paper Mache, and will respectful reenact the traditional Haida Raven
Dance in hopes to embody the qualities of the Raven within myself as well as spread
truth throughout my own experience. My performance will be an attempt to preserve of
the Haida Native American tribal culture, through creating a clear understanding of the
minds of the Haida people.

























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B. Rael Ali
4/24/2014
Native American Art History

Annotated Bibliography


1. http://www.hindu.com/2001/07/26/stories/13261289.htm The Hindu,
Copyright 2011
2. http://www.magma.ca/~jbremner/blog/months/RavenStealsSun.htm
Raven Steals the Sun
3. www.spirits ofthewestcoast.com. Sprits of the West Coast Art Gallery,
Copyright 2014,
http://www.spiritsofthewestcoast.com/symbol/the_raven/1/, 2014.
www.spiritsofthewestcoast.com is a Native American art theme website that explains the
significance of the symbolic representations that are presented in Native American art.
This website denotes a clear understanding of the Northwest Coast Native American
Myths about the Raven figure.

4. Ultimatepapermache.com, Jonni Good, Copyright 2008
http://www.ultimatepapermache.com/category/masks/page/3
Ultimatepapermache..com showcases the sculpting process of experienced
paper mache artist Jonnie Good.
5. http://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com. Native American Tribes copyright
2012, http://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-
symbols/raven-symbol.htm
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www.warpaths2peacepipes.com is a hub of information on Native American Tribes. It
allows for easy compare and contrasts of the different Native American tribe symbols and
cultures.
6. Youtube.com, Native American Raven Dancing. Posted
2009,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg7IjPAPrIQ
Native American Raven Dancing shows a performance of the tradition Raven dance done
historically by the Native American people.