Through the Smoke Hole

Item number Nb7.286 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Silkscreen print. Head and upper wings of stylized naturalistic bird emerging from an off-centred blue diamond. Slightly bent white head outlined in black, eye area and portions of beak are highlighted in black; beak placed against throat; u-like shaped black wings are outlined in white, wing on right partially obscures head, top of wing on left held away from head, also tip partially obscures beak. At lower side on left of diamond "through the smoke hole"; at lower side on right, "PJanze 81 136/225."

Narrative

Raven, the main character in Northwest Coast mythology, is credited with bringing light to the world. Raven, having discovered that the great chief in the skies owned the sun, made a plan to steal it. Transformed into a cedar leaf, raven was swallowed by the great chief's daughter. Soon after she gave birth to a son. The boy grew quickly, and since he was the great chief's grandson, was allowed to play with the sun, which was kept out of reach in a box. One day while playing with the sun, raven transformed back to bird form and flew out of the smoke hole, thus bringing the sun to the world.