1) This document is a draft of a performance of a Raven trickster tale from Pacific Northwest native tribes. It will involve 6 actors playing various roles including Raven. 2) The tale describes how the world was in darkness until Raven saw a bit of light from the house of the Sky Chief. Raven transformed into a pine needle and was swallowed by the Sky Chief's daughter. 3) Raven was reborn as the Sky Chief's grandson. Through trickery and crying, Raven discovered that the source of light was the sun, contained in boxes within boxes. Raven stole the sun and brought it to the sky, giving light to the people.

1. Raven: A trickster tale from the Pacific Northwest, by Gerald McDermott
Adapted for performance by David Domkoski
Draft of 01/03/09
Cast
Six actors as follows:
Narrator – Actor 1 (either sex)
Men: Actor 2, 6
Women: Actor 5
Either: Actor 3, 4
ACTOR 1
Along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, as far north as Alaska, Raven is the central character in most native
American myths and tales. A shapeshifter imbued with magical powers, he is at once brave and cunning, greedy
and gluttonous. Raven is a trickster on a cosmic scale, mischief-maker, and cultural hero, at times wrecking
havoc, and at others bestowing on humankind the gift of fire, light or food.
To this day, Raven is a central figure in the richly imagined tribal arts of the region. He is depicted along with
other important animal spirits, in a highly stylized form on totem poles, carved boxes and utensils, jewelry,
weavings, and Baskets.
ALL
The tale we share here is told with variations throughout all of the native groups of the northwest coast. Within
its dreamlike settings, Raven balances his heroism and trickery to bring a blessing to the people.
ACTOR 1
Raven: A trickster tale from the Pacific Northwest.
ACTOR 2
Raven came.
ACTOR 3
All the world was in darkness.
ACTOR 4
The sky above was in darkness.
ACTOR 5
The waters below were in darkness.
ACTOR 6
Men and women lived in the dark and cold.
ACTOR 2
Raven was sad for them
He said. “I will search for light.”
ACTOR 1
Raven flew across valleys, and across mountains.

2. He flew along rivers and over lakes.
ALL
There was darkness all around.
ACTOR 2
Then he saw a bit of light far away.
He flew and flew and came closer to the light.
The light was at the edge of the water.
ACTOR 6
The light came from the house of the Sky Chief, and it was shining.
ACTOR 1
Raven perched high in a pine tree on the shore.
ACTOR 2
Raven watched.
ACTOR 2
He saw …
ACTOR 5
… a beautiful young girl
emerge from the house
and go to the edge of the water.
ACTOR 6
She was the Sky Chief’s daughter.
ACTOR 5
She knelt and drank some water from
a woven basket.
ACTOR 2
Raven changed himself into a pine needle.
he fell down from the tree
and floated on the water.
ACTOR 5
When the girl drank again, she
swallowed the pine needle.
ACTOR 1
After a time, the girl gave birth to a child.

3. ACTOR 5
The child was small and dark with shiny
black hair and tiny black eyes.
ACTOR 1
Who do you think the child was?
ALL
It was Raven.
Raven had been reborn as a boy child.
ACTOR 6
The Sky Chief was delighted with his daughter’s child.
He called him grandchild. He played with the boy and
carved toys for him. He invited the elders to
ACTOR 1, 3 & 4
come and
see the curious, wonderful child.
ACTOR 3
The elders gathered in the shining house
with the Sky Chief and his daughter.
ACTOR 4
They watched Raven-child crawl
around the floor of the lodge.
ACTOR 2
He pretended to be playing.
ACTOR 1
At the same time
he was trying to find out where the light
was hidden.
ACTOR 2
He saw a box in the corner of the lodge.
ACTOR 3
The box was large.
It was carved and painted
with many colors.
ACTOR 4
The box was bright. It glowed.
ACTOR 2
Raven-child said “Ga!. Ga!”

4. ACTOR 5
“What do you want?” asked his mother.
ACTOR 2
Raven-child said, “Ga!. Ga!” He began to cry.
ACTOR 1, 3 & 4
“What does the child want?” asked the Elders.
ACTOR 2
Raven-child said, “Ga!. Ga!” He cried and cried.
ACTOR 6
“My grandchild wants the box,” said the Sky Chief.
ACTOR 5
The young woman placed the box in front of
Raven-child, but he continued to cry.
She took the lid off the box.
ACTOR 1, 3, 4 & 6
Inside was a smaller box.
ACTOR 5
She took the lid off that box.
ACTOR 1, 3, 4 & 6
Inside was a smaller box.
ACTOR 5
His mother took the lid off that box, and light
poured out of it.
ALL
Light flooded the room.
ACTOR 3, 4, 5 & 6
Inside the box was a shining ball, blazing with light.
ACTOR 1
What do you think the ball was?
ALL
It was the sun.
ACTOR 6
“Give him the ball,” said Sky Chief.

5. ACTOR 5
His mother gave Raven-child the ball.
ALL
Raven-child stopped crying.
ACTOR 2
He began to play with it.
He rolled it around the floor of the lodge.
“Ga! Ga!”
ACTOR 1
Then he changed into a bird.
ACTOR 2
“Ha! Ha!”
ACTOR 1
He became Raven once again.
ACTOR 2
“Caw! Caw!”
ACTOR 6
Sky Chief,
ACTOR 5 & 6
his daughter,
ACTOR 3, 4, 5 & 6
and the elders
ALL (EXCEPT 2)
looked on in amazement.
ACTOR 2
Raven plucked up
the ball of light in his beak, flew through the
smoke holes of the lodge,
ALL (EXCEPT 2)
and disappeared
into the dark sky.
ACTOR 2
Raven flew over the valleys and the mountains.
ALL (EXCEPT 2)
He flew along the rivers and across the lakes.

6. ACTOR 2
Raven threw the sun high in the sky
ALL (EXCEPT 2)
and it stayed there.
ACTOR 1
This is how Raven stole the sun
and gave it back to all the people.
ALL (EXCEPT 2)
And why do people always feed Raven?
ACTOR 1
To thank him for bringing them light.
BLACKOUT