Alaska Native Knowledge Network
Resources for compiling and exchanging information related to Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways of knowing.

ANKN Home About ANKN ANKN Publications Academic Programs Curriculum Resources Calendar of Events ANKN Listserv and Announcements ANKN Site Index
Printer-friendly version
Yup'ik Raven This collection of student work is from Frank Keim's classes. He wants to share these works for others to use as an example of culturally-based curriculum and documentation. These documents have been OCR-scanned and are available for educational use only.


Browse the glossary using this index

Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL
:

The Message from Raven

Long ago there lived a man, his wife, and two children, a little boy and a little girl. They lived by themselves somewhere in the wilderness of Alaska. One day the husband decided to go hunting in the hills that weren't far from where he and his family lived. He left telling his wife that he would return the next day.

The next day came, and when he didn't show up his wife started to get worried because it was going to get dark soon. She and her two kids waited and waited for him to come but he never showed up. She didn't have any idea that her husband was out in the hills living with two other women.

The man didn't know a raven was spying on his every move. And it was the raven who flew back to his wife and told her that her husband was messing around somewhere in the hills with two other women. After hearing about this she was very angry and she got ready to go out looking for him.

She left the two kids in the house and got a black bear skin for warmth because it was a little chilly outside. The raven guided her to the cabin where her husband was. Before she went inside she tried to take off the bear skin but for some reason it could not come off her body. Then she noticed she had turned into a black bear. She was surprised but still remembered the selfish act her husband had committed behind her back. She became so enraged she knocked down the door of the cabin and caught her husband messing around with those two pretty women. She let out a big roar and mauled her husband and the two women to death. After she had done this she tore down the cabin that her husband was in, then started heading back to her two kids that she had left alone. When she got there she was still dressed as a bear and her kids didn't recognize her and they started crying in fear. She blew her bear breath on the boy and he turned into a mink. Then she blew on the little girl, turning her into a white weasel. After that they each ran off into the wild and joined their own kind.


By: Sophie Tiffert Interviewed by: Chris Fitka

Keyword(s):

Go to University of Alaska The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, educational institution and provider is a part of the University of Alaska system. Learn more about UA's notice of nondiscriminitation.