Raven Silk Scarf

Long ago, by the mouth of a great river, lived an old chief and his only daughter. It was said that the old man kept the sun hidden away in a box. Raven wanted to have this sun and had tried to get it many times without success. At length he hit on a plan. He noticed that the daughter went to the well every day for a supply of water, so he transformed himself into a pine needle, dropped into her drinking water and was swallowed. She became pregnant and in due time he was reborn as the chief's grandson. Thus he gained access to the house.

Raven became a great favorite with the old chief who let him have anything he asked for. One day he asked to play with the sun box, but this the old man refused to grant. Raven gave him no peace, and finally, weary of his whining, his grandfather let him play with it. The Raven quickly took the box and rolled it about until he had it outside. Then dashing the box to pieces, he took the sun in his beak and placed it in the sky, where it has been giving light to the world ever since.

Tsimshian native artist Bill Helin enjoys a very rewarding career as a creative gold engraver, painter, woodcarver, and book illustrator. His ancestry is from the Gits'iis tribe in the village of Lax Kw'alaams, British Columbia. He loves to paint mythological images to educate people on the history of the Tsimshian nation and the many stories passed down through his ancestors. His greatest passion however is to spiritually represent and bond individuals together through the use of native Life Crest symbols. The art of Bill Helin is reproduced in collaboration with the artist and royalties are paid to the artist on each item sold.