YELTH OR HOOYAH, THE RAVEN

References:

Plateraigs RMignre a. "Hooyah," the Raven. Painting. Haida .
Plate 1, Figure 7. Typical Painting of Raven. Haida .
Plate &, Figure 6. Raven on Mortuary Chest. Haida.
Plate 4, Figure 2. Raven on Totem Pole. Kwakiutl.
Plate 4, Figure 3. Raven on Inside House Pole. Haida.
Plate 8, ° Figure 5. Raven, enlarged Tattoo Mark. Haida.
Plate 9, Figure 7. Raven carved on Feast Ladle. Haida.
Plate 11, Figure 3. Raven and Sun engraved on Silver

Bracelet. 2 Haida.
Plate 11, Figure 5. Raven and Whale engraved on

Silver Bracelet. Haida.

The mythical Raven is probably the most prominent figure in
the heraldry, folklore, and decorative art of the Haida and
Tsimsyan Tribes with the result that the Raven, as Crest, appears
on many totem and memorial poles and house posts. Huge Raven
Dance masks are familiar to all students of Kwakiutl ceremonial
dance equipment. The long, straight beak of the -raven makes him
easily recognizable, though on occasion he is either minus a beak
or it is flattened against his breast, a reminder of one of his
malicious tricks.

Raven made constant use of the power -possessed by all the
animal world in those distant days of changing at will from
bird or other form to that of a human being jc This: faciiataces
his misdemeanours and earned for him the name of "Trickster"
among other designations. Nevertheless very numerous and widely
‘distributed legends credit him with bringing the gifts of day-
light and fire, water and food to mankind, though unfortunately
these good deeds were frequently carried out by very questionable
means, for many of his exploits and adventures*were either dis-—
honest, cruel or wanting in recognition of hospitality freely
offered to.him when in need. Happily he did not always escape
from the just reward of his unkind deeds for quite a proportion
of these legends carry with them admirable lessons.

The legend of Hooyah, the ‘Raven, and Houskana, the fisher-
man is illustrated in Plate 1, Figures-1 and 2 which are taken
from Niblack- (1888, pl. 52). The story runs as follows, though
various versions were current among these tribes: There came
a day when as Hooyah, the Raven, was travelling around he put
off his feathered dress. _Walking through a dense forest he
felt and looked like an old and weary man. He was very hungry.
Where could he find food? Suddenly he came to the end: of the

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