The story of Raven releasing or “stealing” the daylight is one of the Tlingit peoples of southeast Alaska’s most iconic stories. The basic storyline is similar across Tlingit communities, but distinct variations make each version unique to specific villages and individual storytellers. Each telling emphasizes different aspects of the same story, creating a unique treasure for the families, the communities, and for all Tlingit people. The story you are about to encounter is a blend of these voices woven together. The specific details that influenced the version told here helped shape Singletary’s glass art and his vision for this ambitious endeavor. This exhibition adapts the ancient story, bringing it into the present, so we can imagine what Raven went through to bring light to the world.
The Tlingit name for Raven is Yéil. The story of Yéil ka Keiwa.aa (Raven and the Box of Daylight) unfolds through four areas: Along the Nass River, Transformation, Clan House, and World Drenched in Daylight. The underlying messages of Yéil ka Keiwa.aa are about not only light entering the world, but also the values of forgiveness, family over possessions, and accountability for one’s actions. Shdal’éiw Walter Porter (1944–2013), the eminent Tlingit American historian, mythologist, and storyteller, once stated, “The importance of mythology is that it’s universal. Every culture has the same information disguised in story.” We hope you recognize some of your own story here.
Singletary was deeply influenced by Porter, his friend and mentor. Porter researched and compared Tlingit creation stories to stories from around the world, identifying similarities in their symbolism and messaging. He presented the Yéil ka Keiwa.aa story to diverse audiences, encouraging them to consider specific details as evidence of our shared humanity while still recognizing distinct cultural differences. When Porter first viewed Singletary’s Raven Steals the Sun sculpture, he recognized the potential for Singletary’s work to communicate stories and encouraged him on a narrative path through his art.
There are dozens of Raven stories told throughout the Pacific Northwest, and the Tlingit have many versions of Raven and the Box of Daylight. We examined five of them from the following Tlingit storytellers.
Shdal’éiw Walter Porter (1944–2013), Yakutat, Alaska
Daanawáakh Austin Hammond (1910–1993), Haines, Alaska
Lugóon Sophie Smarch (b. 1930), Whitehorse, Canada
Kaasgéiy Susie James (1890–1980), Sitka, Alaska
A respected group of Tlingit speakers and learners transcribed and translated the Tlingit versions.
Xwaayeená Richard Dauenhauer (1942–2014)
Keixwnéi Nora Marks Dauenhauer (1927–2017)
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis (1927–2017)
X’unei Lance Twitchell (b. 1975)
Sháksháani Marge Dutson (b. 1924)
X’aagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston (b. 1974)
Kuwúxh Alison Marks (b. 1989) and Kéet Yaanaayi Paul Marks II (b. 1991) translated the artwork titles into Tlingit.
Miranda Shkík Belarde-Lewis, PhD
Tlingit/Zuni
Independent Curator
