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| First Printing of When Raven Cries |
Ever since high school, Samuel John had wanted nothing to do with Tlingit traditions—especially
the memorial potlatch ceremony. But as the potlatch to mourn his father’s passing approaches—and
under the watchful eye of Raven—events force Samuel to lean upon his traditions. This novel by the
Native American author, Kadashan, is set in the Yakutat Alaska of the mid century, but the realities it uncovers—the
cultural clashes, the alcoholism, the loss of faith—are still real today. The miracle that is this
novel is that Kadashan is able to tell this story with such lightness, such reverence for his human and nonhuman characters
that the reader is left with sadness and hope.
This story is about a young man who returns to his
village after he has been educated in a Christian boarding school. His purpose, now, is to convince the people in his
village that there was no longer a need to retain their history, songs, dances, and to pratice their potlatches
any more. He is covinced that western society was coming and the Natives need to adjust to the new ways.
This became his chosen mission and when he tells his mother that her potlatch was the last one that he is going to participate
in, and that his children would no longer be connected to their culture any longer Raven, the creator of the Tlingit
world, is aggrieved.
Following
are excerpts from some of the fast moving pages of When Raven Cries
********** “Is Raven happy tonight
father? Is he happy because you stuck up for the Indian ways?” “I’m not sure, my son, if I stuck up for the Indian ways in a way that it would make Raven happy.
I can say, though, I did my best.” “I wish I were Raven,” Samuel
said, as he haughtily sauntered beside his father. “I would clap my wings real loud for you.” ********** “I
tried to teach you the correct way since you were young. I want you to keep what you learned in your heart my son, so
you’ll never forget.”
**********
"It is satisfying,” he remembered his father saying one time, “to know that we have food for the winter.
As Tlingits we are one with the land. Like our ancestors we take care of the land. Because we are one with the land,
the land takes care of us. It offers us choice foods for the taking.”
**********
“Being a true Tlingit is pride in yourself. Being a Tlingit is knowing who you are. Being
a Tlingit is living in partnership with the land.”
********** Raven looked
down on the overdue activity which was beginning to take place in the late evening---a forenoon that was to be the opening
of a sun-filled day.
**********
Raven was still perched on the tree which towered over Monti Bay. His head turned almost continually, and
his eyes sparkled like sun-caused twinkles of segments of sparkling glass. “A Tlingit
story is rarely shared without a moral or straightforward point. This is true in this book, and although
it may seem outside the boundaries of defined fascinating fiction, this story is true to the makeup of Tlingit oratory.
Here, in Kadashan’s writings, there is a history, a reality of experience and discovery that is typical in Tlingit
storytelling. The elements of fiction are present, but so are the elements of traditional imagery—as
in the Raven’s presence, which unites traditional imagery—as in the Raven’s presence, which unites traditional
and modern story, bringing insights to the main character’s struggles.” From
the Forward by Diane E. Benson, Tlingit Writer Use box below to ask for information about this product. For ordering instructions
go to Contact Us
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| Second Printing now out of print. A 3rd printing |
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| When Raven Cries |
When Raven Cries
From the perspective of a Tlingit Indian from Yakutat, Alaska and as the recognized leader to the Yakutat
Tlingit Tribe, Kadashan brings his cultural heritage to life through his vivid story telling. Through his
writing Kadashan attempts to unite Tlingit society and culture with themes familiar to any reader. Spotlighted in the episodes
are marital fidelity, caring and fairness, the problems of alcohol in Indian society as well as other strains against temptations
which confront every nationality. The hub of this novel is isolated into a unique and short term period.
The author deliberately confined the story into one day, presuming that the action might have a maximum impact on the
audience. The centrality of Raven in this tale enables the writer to reach for material which
functions on many levels, which critics might investigate allegory, family drama, and the world of Native American in general.
Nick Begich, Publisher Earthpulse Press
This book is not
a riveting, action packed adventure. However, it does paint a very realistic portrait of Indian life and problems that occur
in Alaska. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a feel for Tlingit Indian society. |
Jonathan Nelson
Michael Grosch, while researching for
his doctorate thesis at the University of Nurnberg in Germany on contemporary Alaskan Native literature writes the following
about Kadashan’s writing in his introductory statement about When Raven Cries: "In contrast to Velma Wallis, who can be regarded as a traditional story teller who uses writing as a
means of preservation , Kadashan is a contemporary author, who draws his inspiration from the oral tradition.
Of course, because of his Tlingit heritage, he is strongly influenced by traditional oral narratives, but in addition
to this cultural heritage, his works also reflect influences from Western literature, which stem from his education at Sheldon
Jackson College and Brigham Young University. As a member of both Tlingit and Western culture, Kadashan
should not be regarded as an author torn between two poles, but rather as a mediator, just like his protagonist’s identity,
but also a link between the listener-reader and the reality of the text. Therefore I consider his work especially suitable
for my discussion of the reconciliation of the tension between Western literary tradition and Native American, Tlingit for
that matter, oral tradition."
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