Natsilane
Encyclopedia
Natsilane is a one of the Tlingit and Haida stories about how the various supernatural
animal species from the Tlingit culture of the American Northwest coast was created. These stories follow an almost dreamtime
-like description of humans and other animal species living completely harmoniously. The animals are depicted as demi-gods, and are always referred to in the singular (for instance "raccoon
", and "raven
"). The story of Natsilane follows the creation of arguably the most important creature in Haida culture - the "Blackfish", or Killer Whale. Other similar stories follow how, for instance, Raccoon got the rings on his tail, and why Puma hides in the forest so much.
Blackfish is revered so highly in Tlingit culture because of his apparent affinity with humans - he represents an extremely powerful force of nature, deadly and terrifying to every creature except man, whom he is said to look after. The story describes why this is so. There are many variations of the tale, some considerably more brutal than others, and the exact story is likely to vary widely in Tlingit culture, but the principle arc of the story is common.
As Natsilane is beginning to drown, he is found and rescued by sea otter
, who floats him to a large island saying it is too far back to his homeland for otter to help him back. Instead, he promises to look after Natsilane and shows him the best hunting and fishing grounds. Once Natsilane is settled on his new island, alone, sea otter confers one last gift to him - a pouch of seeds, and instructs Natsilane to sow their worth. Natsilane does so, and over the years the seeds grow into a bewildering array of different types of tree, all of which are now native in the Pacific Northwest
. Natsilane uses the trees to carve tools and a boat.
In appreciaction of sea otter, Natsilane then tries to carve a new totem
. He tries all the trees, but settles on using a large Yellow Cedar tree and carves a huge fish from it, and leaves it on the shore for sea otter to find. The next morning when Natsilane goes down to the shore the fish carving is gone and in the bay is swimming the Blackfish - the first Killer Whale. With a boat and supplies, Natsilane travels back to his home, guided by the Blackfish. When he arrives, he finds his brothers out fishing again, squabbling. He orders the Blackfish to destroy their boat and drown his brothers which it does immediately. When it returns, Natsilane tells it that from that day forward it must never harm a human again, and that when it finds a human in trouble at sea it must help them. He then sends the whale off to the sea. Natsilane returns to his village which had been terrorised by his brothers, and becomes chief.
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
animal species from the Tlingit culture of the American Northwest coast was created. These stories follow an almost dreamtime
Dreamtime
In the animist framework of Australian Aboriginal mythology, The Dreaming is a sacred era in which ancestral Totemic Spirit Beings formed The Creation.-The Dreaming of the Aboriginal times:...
-like description of humans and other animal species living completely harmoniously. The animals are depicted as demi-gods, and are always referred to in the singular (for instance "raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
", and "raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
"). The story of Natsilane follows the creation of arguably the most important creature in Haida culture - the "Blackfish", or Killer Whale. Other similar stories follow how, for instance, Raccoon got the rings on his tail, and why Puma hides in the forest so much.
Blackfish is revered so highly in Tlingit culture because of his apparent affinity with humans - he represents an extremely powerful force of nature, deadly and terrifying to every creature except man, whom he is said to look after. The story describes why this is so. There are many variations of the tale, some considerably more brutal than others, and the exact story is likely to vary widely in Tlingit culture, but the principle arc of the story is common.
Story
As a rough synopsis, the tale begins with a young warrior Natsilane who is destined to become chief due to his skills, intelligence and generally pleasant demeanour. His brothers are extremely jealous of this, and plot to depose him. The brothers take Natsilane out to sea fishing, taking him further than they have ever been before. As he becomes concerned, the brothers throw Natsilane overboard and row away.As Natsilane is beginning to drown, he is found and rescued by sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
, who floats him to a large island saying it is too far back to his homeland for otter to help him back. Instead, he promises to look after Natsilane and shows him the best hunting and fishing grounds. Once Natsilane is settled on his new island, alone, sea otter confers one last gift to him - a pouch of seeds, and instructs Natsilane to sow their worth. Natsilane does so, and over the years the seeds grow into a bewildering array of different types of tree, all of which are now native in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Natsilane uses the trees to carve tools and a boat.
In appreciaction of sea otter, Natsilane then tries to carve a new totem
Totem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...
. He tries all the trees, but settles on using a large Yellow Cedar tree and carves a huge fish from it, and leaves it on the shore for sea otter to find. The next morning when Natsilane goes down to the shore the fish carving is gone and in the bay is swimming the Blackfish - the first Killer Whale. With a boat and supplies, Natsilane travels back to his home, guided by the Blackfish. When he arrives, he finds his brothers out fishing again, squabbling. He orders the Blackfish to destroy their boat and drown his brothers which it does immediately. When it returns, Natsilane tells it that from that day forward it must never harm a human again, and that when it finds a human in trouble at sea it must help them. He then sends the whale off to the sea. Natsilane returns to his village which had been terrorised by his brothers, and becomes chief.