Raven Loses His Nose (a Tlingit story)

Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Award-Winning Raven Reads series releases new Raven Books. Raven Reads was awarded the 2017 Best Practices Honoree as part of the Library of Congress Literacy of Awards program. Your purchased supports the non-profit Sealaska Heritage Institute’s culturally-based programs promoting early literacy and school-readiness for Alaska Native children.

Raven Loses His Nose is a children’s book based on ancient Northwest Coast Raven stories. In the tale, Raven’s greediness results in a temporary loss of his nose.

The story was adapted by Tlingit writer Pauline Duncan from the works of the late Nora and Dick Dauenhauer, who transcribed the stories from Elders’ oral accounts. The original Raven stories are complex, humorous and sometimes filled with raucous adventures. Raven stories are not about what is viewed as proper behavior, but what is not acceptable behavior. Raven the Trickster is found in oral traditions throughout North America and elsewhere in the world and teaches people how to exist in society.

Illustrated by Tsimshian artist David Lang.