Owls+in+Yup'ik+Folklore

[[image:http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/features/yupik/images/mask6.jpg align="left"]]Introduction:
In Yup'ik folklore, owls are associated with shamans because of their large eyes which symbolize great vision. The Yu'pik people believed that the shaman's helping spirit often took the form of an owl.

Owls can also represent great hunters, because they can find their prey in the dark.

Folktale: How The Owl Got Its Grey Spots
"[A long time ago] when animals and humans could communicate, our elders were told this story about how the Owl got its grey spots.

It was said that Ellagpiim Yua(The Spirit of the Universe) created all animals with the same color. They were all white like snow.

Some of the animals decided to change their colors to reflect their surroundings. One day the Owl started painting his feathers- He used black pitch mixed with water, which made him grey.

Raven who was passing by saw what the Owl was doing and asked if he could be painted too.

Owl said that they could help each other. The Raven finished off painting Owl but said "for me use just pitch and make black spots."

The Owl stood by the side and then while drying, he started to paint black spots on the Raven.

But Raven was impatient; he kept saying hurry, hurry, go faster when Owl was painting on each and every black dot with such detail. Impatient and hopping from one foot to the other - the Raven kept on trying to get Owl to go faster.

The Owl continued working slow and tried to ignore the impatient Raven. Raven became hungry and the sun started to go down so Raven started to squawk that Owl should hurry, finally after hours of hearing Raven complain, Owl lost his patience and took the black pitch ash and threw the whole pot at Raven. Raven was covered black from the tip of his head to his claws and everywhere in between.

And that is why it is said how the Owl got its white spots and why Raven is all black."

~Maggie Lind, Yupik, Bethel 1969

Gallery of Owl Masks:
see more Owl Masks in the Yu'pik Owl Mask Gallery
 * [[image:1996-Fienup-Riordan207web.jpg width="240" height="231" link="@file:1996-Fienup-Riordan207web.jpg"]] || [[image:1996-Fienup-Riordan064web.jpg width="365" height="234" link="@file:1996-Fienup-Riordan064web.jpg"]] ||

Learn to Draw the Great Horned Owl
media type="custom" key="22665314" Trouble viewing the drawing tutorial? Try watching it here. media type="custom" key="22836864"

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Gallery of Owls Found in Southwest Alaska:

 * [[image:http://www.whalesworldwide.com/files/2012/04/snowy_owl-other.jpg width="320" height="209" caption="snowy owl - click the picture to enlarge" link="@http://www.whalesworldwide.com/files/2012/04/snowy_owl-other.jpg"]] || [[image:http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3339/3409984723_01d4d86778_b.jpg width="178" height="214" caption="boreal owl - click the picture to enlarge" link="@http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3339/3409984723_01d4d86778_b.jpg"]] ||
 * [[image:http://api.ning.com/files/20F0YZep2ZcN39GFcYzj8INQCt*eEOWq8lN1TjZLQmQBC17s2emyOMclQqWAsNGQX48-w5DEG48TWISDyjY3XY3I1xR3X*ER/GreatHornedOwl5resized.jpg width="320" height="208" caption="great horned owl" link="@http://api.ning.com/files/20F0YZep2ZcN39GFcYzj8INQCt*eEOWq8lN1TjZLQmQBC17s2emyOMclQqWAsNGQX48-w5DEG48TWISDyjY3XY3I1xR3X*ER/GreatHornedOwl5resized.jpg"]] ||  ||

Learn more about Owls in Folklore and Mythology

Go back to Alaskan Wildlife Book (Intermediate)

How the Owl Got Its Grey Spots ([]) The Living Tradition of Yu'pik Masks by Ann Fienup-Riordan Alaska Birds Eagles and Owls (@http://alaskatrekker.com/birds.htm)
 * Sources:**