The Beginning of the Haida Gwaii World
In the beginning, before the creation of the world, the earth was completely covered by a vast ocean and the sky was all grey clouds. The cloud kingdom was ruled by the great Sha-lana. Sha-lana's Chief servant was Raven.
One day Raven enraged his master and was cast out into the ocean world. He flew over the ocean for a long period of time until he became weary. Unable to find a place to rest, Raven became angry. He began to beat his wings upon the water until the water rose up and touched the clouds around him.
When the water receded back into the ocean there appeared rocks upon which Raven rested. These rocks grew and stretched across the ocean. The rocks turned into sand and after a short period of time trees began to grow on the sand. After many moons the sand had turned into beautiful islands, which we know today as the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii).
Raven enjoyed his kingdom, yet he became bored and lonely. He decided he needed someone to help him. So one day he gathered two large piles of clam shells upon the beach and transformed them into two human females. These two women complained saying that they should not have both been created as women. So to make them happy Raven threw limpet shells at one and turned her into a man, creating the Haida Gwaii people."
Clark, E., Indian Legends of Canada, McClelland and Stewart: Toronto, 1991.
https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/exhibits/bc-archives-time-machine/galler07/frames/oralhist.htm
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