RAVEN

My latest posts were from the Royal British Columbia Museum and Thunderbird Park. I had lived in Canada for well over 40 years and had close relationships with the Native communities in Western Canada. I have a page on my website that explains this: CIRCLE OF THE SUN. One small painting that is currently with a friend in New York drew it's inspiration from Native lore. I did not 'imitate' styles of Native art, but used my own impression from the stories about this mythological figure. I also posted this painting on my website: RAVEN.

Xhuuya or Nankil'slas - Haida name for Raven
_{from the above web link:
Raven (Xhuuya or Nankil'slas): Raven is the culture hero of the Haida mythology. He is a revered and benevolent transformer figure who helps the people and shapes their world for them, but at the same time, he is also a trickster character and many Haida stories about Raven have to do with his frivolous or poorly thought out behavior causing trouble for him and the people around him. Xhuuya, Raven's personal name, is pronounced similar to khoo-yah; Nankil'slas, a title meaning "voice handler," is pronounced similar to nahn-kill-stloss (sometimes spelled Nang Kilstlas, Nankilstlas, Nunkilslas, or Nekilstlas.) Raven is also occasionally referred to by Haida storytellers as Yaahl (the literal Haida word for "raven," pronounced similar to "yall") or Wiigit (Raven's name in the neighboring Tsimshian tribe, pronounced wee-git in Haida.) It is typical of Haida culture for men to acquire several different names in their lifetimes-- especially powerful and distinguished men-- so no Haida people would be confused by Raven's many names.}

Cup'ig tulukarug or Ellam Cua - Alaskan Yup'ik Peoples Creator God.

this mixed media painting was displayed at the QCC Gallery in New York​
VISIONARIES - The Art of the Fantastic
it inspired a poem by Steve David of Brooklyn, New York
RAVEN - IMAGE AND POEM

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^{Attributions:
IMAGES provided by © Otto Rapp
POEM by © Steve David
Haida name for Raven text © Haida Legends}

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