Raven and the Rock: Storytelling in Chukotka [Hardcover]

Kira Van Deusen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1999

A girl marries a whale, and her story reminds the Siberian Yupik about humans' relationship with the animals who sustain them. A reindeer herder spends the winter in a bear's den, and his story shows the Chukchi how despair can become courage. For centuries, native Chukchi and Yupik elders in Chukotka, the northeasternmost part of Siberia, have spent endless winter nights recounting tales of the trickster Raven, of how people and places came to be created, of evil spirits and sorcerers, of transformation and magic. Through storytelling, they taught the history, worldview, beliefs, and morals of Chukchi and Yupik people. Storyteller and folklorist Kira Van Deusen has collected traditional Chukchi and Yupik folktales from present-day Chukotka where indigenous people are reclaiming their traditions and identity after years under the assimilative forces of Soviet policy. In this book she presents twenty-five tales and legends in English translation. These are old tales retold in modern settings. Their themes reveal much about contemporary concerns at a time when native Siberians are facing extreme economic hardships. They convey the values tellers admire and wish to pass on: the courage not to give up, wisdom and loyalty, the ability to find good in what appears evil, maintenance of good relationships with animals, and a sense of humor. Together the tales provide a cross section of an oral tradition that is very much alive. Van Deusen grounds the stories in details of the tradition from which they spring, emphasizing what is unique in Chukchi and Yupik culture. Kira Van Deusen is a researcher and writer who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Folklorist Van Deusen has assembled 25 legends from the oral tradition of the Chukkchi and Yupik cultures in eastern Siberia. Over centuries, native elders have captured their history, beliefs, perspectives, and morals in verbally transmitted stories handed down through generations. Like signposts, these traditional tales contain treasured truths of the past. Composed of brief vignettes, sections include stories about a young boy seeking a wife, Raven the Trickster and his merry pranks, shamanic pronouncements, and mythical fantasies. There is an implicit wisdom conveyed about living in harmony. This general anthology is a rare glimpse of varied tales from a most remote area. Recommended for academic libraries, specialized collections, and larger public libraries.
-Richard K. Burns, MSLS, Hatboro, PA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

Storyteller and folklorist Kira Van Deusen has collected traditional Chukchi and Yupik folktales from present-day Chukotka where indigenous people are reclaiming their traditions and identity after years under the assimilative forces of Soviet policy. In this book she presents twenty-five tales and legends in English translation.

These are old tales retold in modern settings. Their themes reveal much about contemporary concerns at a time when native Siberians are facing extreme economic hardships. They convey the values tellers admire and wish to pass on: the courage not to give up, wisdom and loyalty, the ability to find good in what appears evil, maintenance of good relationships with animals, and a sense of humor.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 190 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Washington Pr; First Edition edition (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0295978414
• ISBN-13: 978-0295978413
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,006,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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