Said he to them: "You people are lucky today." They replied: "You think so? Well, there is some queer luck here." "What is wrong?" asked Raven. He then returned in human guise while the Indians were still working away at the whale. As they did so the Raven flew out and disappeared behind the village. The Indians seized the prize and began cutting it up. The dead whale at last floated onto a beach near an Indian village. The Raven forgot that when a whale is dead the blow hole would close, and although he made a lot of fuss and noise he could not escape. He killed one by waiting for the whale to come up and blow and, when his blow hole was open, the raven flew down his throat and picked at his heart until he died. The meat would be boiled, the oil pressed out, and stored to be used later with fish and other foods.Ī Haida legend tells of the following incident: The Raven was terribly hungry and wanted a whale to eat. Traditionally, the whale belonged to the Chief, who would divide it according to the rank of individuals in the community after, of course, selecting the choicest parts for his own household. Some would want this or that piece of whale meat or blubber. The Indians always rejoiced when a whale was cast up on the beach and, if the Chief of the tribe was not present, there would be much fighting and quarreling.
In his household were two beautiful young mermaid-like women whose names were Ohk-iss and Paytles and who, at one time, were kidnapped by the spirit of Sin-Set but were rescued from the Wolf house by Tootooch, the Thunder Bird and returned by him to their home on the ocean floor. He who is known as Eah-toop, the right whale, ruled over this Domain. The Nootkas believed that their universe lay on the back of a great whale and at the bottom of the sea he dwelt in a community house. This tribe were great sea hunters and pursued the whale many miles from land in their Wolf canoes. Webber,, at įrom the twilight of tribal history the emblem of the whale has been used by the Nootka Indians of Vancouver Island. The Thunder Bird Tootooch Legends, by W.L. Sacred Texts Native American Northwest Index Previous Next
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