HOW RAVEN HELPED TO MAKE CLANS

THIS IS A MYTH OF THE TLINGIT THAT GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME. AT THAT TIME RAVEN LIVED IN DARKNESS AT THE MOUTH OF NASS RIVER. RAVEN WAS TRICKSTER IN MANY INDIAN MYTHS. HERE HE STOLE THE BOX OF DAYLIGHT FROM THE DEITY. THEN HE OFFERED THE BOX TO PEOPLE IN EXCHANGE FOR FOOD. HE OPENED THE BOX AND THE SUN BURST OUT AND ROSE INTO THE SKY. HIS TRIBE WAS TERRIFIED.

DAYLIGHT TRANSFORMED CREATURES INTO THE FORMS THEY HAVE THEMSELVES. PEOPLE WHO WERE WEARING CERTAIN ANIMAL SKINS BECAME THAT CREATURE. PEOPLE WHO WERE WEARING NOTHING BECAME HUMANS. TOTEM POLES WERE ACTUALLY BOTH SIGNS OF CLAN AFFILIATION AND OF ANCESTRAL AFFILIATION. THE TOWERING POLES WERE VISIBLE FROM BOTH LAND AND SEA. THE TOP OF THE TOTEM POLE HAD A HOLE FOR THE CREMATION OF THEIR CHIEFS OR NOBLEMEN.
THE NORTHWEST SOCIETIES WERE ORGANIZED HIERARCHICALLY BY CLANS WITH THEIR OWN CHIEF.