Raven - Light-Bringer and Transformer

Raven Steals the Sun

In the time of darkness, before there was any light in the world, there was an old chief who kept the sun, moon, and stars locked in three bentwood boxes in his house. Raven heard of this and determined to steal the light for the world.

Raven transformed himself into a hemlock needle and floated in the water where the chief's daughter came to drink. She swallowed the needle, became pregnant, and gave birth to a child - Raven in human form. The old chief loved his grandson dearly and could deny him nothing.

The child (Raven) cried and pointed at the boxes until his grandfather gave him the box containing the stars, which he opened and threw into the sky, scattering the stars across the heavens. Then he cried for the moon and did the same. Finally, he cried for the last box, containing the sun.

When his grandfather reluctantly gave it to him, Raven transformed back into a bird, seized the sun in his beak, and flew out through the smoke hole. The smoke turned his feathers black (they had been white before). He flew across the world, releasing the sun into the sky, bringing light to all creatures.

Teaching: The greatest gifts often come through cunning and sacrifice. Raven's transformation from white to black represents the cost of bringing light - the light-bringer carries the darkness.

Raven and the First Humans (Haida)

Raven was walking along the beach at Rose Spit (Haida Gwaii) when he heard strange sounds coming from a giant clamshell. Curious, he investigated and found tiny creatures huddled inside - the first humans.

They were afraid to come out into the vast world, so Raven used his charm and cunning to coax them from the shell. Some versions say he sang to them; others that he made promises of wonders. Slowly, the first Haida emerged from the clamshell onto the beach.

But there were only men in the shell. Raven knew they needed women to survive. So he searched until he found some chitons (a type of shellfish) and transformed them into women. Thus humanity began.

Teaching: Humans are creatures of the sea and shore. We emerged reluctantly into the world, coaxed by forces greater than ourselves. Creation is ongoing, and transformation is always possible.

Raven and the Salmon

In the early days, there were no salmon in the rivers. Raven knew that a great chief kept all the salmon trapped in a weir across the river's mouth. Without salmon, the people would starve.

Raven tried many tricks to release the salmon - he pretended to be a shaman, he attempted to bribe the chief, he tried to sneak in at night. All failed. Finally, Raven transformed himself into a salmon and swam into the weir. From inside, he broke the weir apart, releasing all the salmon into the rivers.

As the salmon swam upstream, Raven flew alongside, guiding them to all the rivers and streams. This is why salmon return to so many waters - Raven showed them the way.

Teaching: The resources of the world should not be hoarded by the few. Sometimes you must become what you seek to free in order to liberate it.

Why Raven is Black

Before Raven stole the sun, his feathers were pure white - the most beautiful of all birds. But when he flew up through the smoke hole with the sun in his beak, the smoke stained his feathers black forever.

In some versions, Raven's color comes from being caught in a fire, or from being punished for his tricks. In all versions, his blackness is tied to his role as transformer - he carries the mark of his deeds.

The Tlingit say that Raven's black feathers contain the original darkness of the world before light. He took the darkness into himself so that light could shine.

Teaching: Transformation comes at a cost. Those who bring light into the world often carry darkness within themselves. The black feathers are not shame but honor - the mark of one who sacrificed for others.