All the Native groups in Alaska have rich folklore, myths, and children’s stories about the Raven. These tales describe how Raven created the world, his clever encounters with other animals, his role as a trickster, and how he was sometimes tricked by others. One story even tells of his encounter with a man who emerged from a pea pod. Raven believed he was the smartest being in the world until he met an old woman.

Raven is said to have had white feathers before he discovered light. In those times, the earth was shrouded in darkness, with only oil lamps illuminating their dwellings. One day, Raven announced that he would search for light so everyone could see. He scoured the land but found nothing. Determined, he ventured into the heavens. After many days, he returned, sang and blackened, but jubilant. “I found the light,” he exclaimed.