Week 9 Reading Diary A: Alaska (Regional Anthologies)

Image information: An ominous image of Raven. Source: ISCEnglish

The Raven Myth: Raven’s Creation:

Time before people. Man born from a pod of a beach pea. Laid there for 5 days before he burst free. Born full-grown. Raven shapeshifter into a man—wears his beak like a mask. Raven didn’t make man, but he did make the vine from which he came. Surprise to him that he came from it. Raven made sheep and salmon and heath for the human and made them plenty. Afraid of man killing his creations. Made some plentiful for that purpose. Made man a companion since he looked lonely. Explicitly states the color of her skin as white and fair. Interesting Adam and Eve story.

The Raven Myth: Raven Creates the People:

Raven taught them everything they needed to know. Raven explained what each and every animal did and where they could be found. Bugs were made to make the earth more cheerful. First baby grew to adulthood in three days. And the same for the first girl baby. Raven became again fearful that man would kill all his creations for food or clothing so he made predators. Another clan of man fell from the same pea pod and Raven led them elsewhere. Taught this group different skills and made different animals.

The Raven Myth: The Skyland and the Sea:

Skyland a better climate. People who lived there were much smaller. More mystical realm. Flew down a star hole in the sea and made sea animals. Turned man into a polar bear (hibernation mentioned). Turned him back though. Man teaching man.

The Raven Myth: Raven-Boy and the Sun:

Went back to visit the skyland and in the meantime his tribe killed too many animals. So Raven sent animals to kill men to even the numbers. Decides to take the sun away so that man does not kill all the time. Raven’s brother gets drunk by Raven’s wife and is birthed Raven-boy??? Stole back the sun. Made night and day. Raven-Boy married a human and his children didn’t have his raven abilities.

The Flood:

Flood the result of anger. Random lady in the ocean and something to do with sea urchins? They create the tides together. Scares humans. Humans didn’t change their ways regardless.

The Origin of the Tides:

Rock in the ocean. House under it and hole to the earth. Human put in place to guard the hole. Is to be opened twice a day so water can flow in and out.

Raven’s Feast:

In the memory of his mother. Was going to invite the whole world. Groundhogs predicted snowslides. Was the first feast ever.

Raven’s Marriage:

Began to seek companionship. No one he stops answers his question of who will marry him, however. No one even listens to him. Transforms himself into a dark-skinned man and courts a goose-lady. They were migrating but the Raven was unable to keep up. Raven couldn’t swim above the waves and began to freak out. White stone was magic. Relying on his wife for help. Finally washed up on shore and transformed into a man.

Raven and the Seals:

Abandoned by his new wife, he wanders the shore. Becomes friends with a man in a house and eats all his seals. Still hungry, killed his new friend. Cried all the time after this because he was so hungry.

Raven and Pitch:

Taken in by little pitch and he was rich enough to sate his hunger. Finally slept. Disregarded Little Pitch’s warnings that he shouldn’t be out in the sun. Pit melted. Raven used him to fix his boat.

Raven and Marmot:

Proving he is something other than what people think he is. Tricked by the Marmot. The Marmot then mocks him and calls him a fool. Makes fun of his dancing. Raven is enraged and flees.

The Bringing of the Light by Raven:

Sun and moon in the sky in early days. Stolen and only the stars were left. Even the shamans were unable to bring back the light. Orphan boy claims he can bring back the light. Was like another boy until he put on his raven suit. Aunt is the one that stole the sun and moon. There is a man who has the light and is shoveling snow. Goes to live with him. Steals the light and the man’s shovel. He only wishes for the shovel back.

The Naming of the Birds:

Four pebbles and you will never starve. If you are hit with one of these pebbles you die. All birds have a purpose/something they’re good at above the others. Raven taught all the birds.

How Raven Stole the Lake:

Crows black because they ate all his salmon (they were white before). Encounters some gambling men. Raven saw a salmon trap and was upset enough that he rolled the whole lake up and put it under his arm. He took it with him.