Shamans and Kushtakas: North Coast Tales of the Supernatural

by Mary Giraudo Beck, Marvin Oliver (Illustrations)

Shaman and Kushtaka, both struck terror in the hearts of the Tlingit and Haida, for both possessed frightening supernatural powers. Among the Natives of the Pacific Northwest Coast, the shaman was honored as a person who could heal the body and spirit as well as see into the future. In his struggles to protect his people, he fought the kushtaka―an evil spirit-being who was half human and half land hotter―for the souls of dying persons. Theirs was a battle between the forces of good and evil, and today it remains a cornerstone in Tlingit and Haida mythology. Mary Giraudo Beck provides a powerful mix of history, legend, and adventure to dramatize the values and traditions of Tlingit and Haida societies. The heroic and wondrous incidents in these stories transcend time and culture and, as tales of myth and magic, provide compelling reading for young and old alike.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Native American, Folklore, Short Stories, History, Research

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Land Otter Sister" was my particular favorite - I liked the imagery of the half human/half otter children swimming and fishing with their uncle.

[Pat MacEwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small collection of tales from Tlingit/Haida mythology and the southeastern coast of Alaska along with some parts of British Columbia, this translation of traditional stories is very well done. Its theme is shamanism and the lore of the Land Otter People - Kushtakas, who come rather close to what Europeans might describe as were-otters. These are magical beings known for their tricksy behavior toward humans, and for rescuing those who are lost at sea. Being rescued does not mean being saved, however. Humans will instead be brainwashed into forgetting much of their past, and their bodies will gradually transform so that they become 'slim men' and women themselves, with an otter's split upper lip and no shoulders, and with soft gray/brown otter fur growing all down their arms and legs and other parts. Lots of colorful details about clothing, rituals, invocations, shamanic duels, and how to outsmart the kushtakas, always with a focus on the importance of community and the mutual obligations that hold them together. My favorite? The story of Xat and the Feather Kite! Nice illustrations on each title page, too.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the visuals of the feather kite, with the entire village dangling beneath it...

*kite comes flying back towards the village*
"That looks like the people of our village," said his grandmother.

Cracked me up.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book of Alaskan native indian stories. Shamans were honored as healers and could see into the future. Katashkas were evil spirit-beings who fought the shamans for the souls of dying persons. This book presents stories of the battle between the forces of good and evil. They provide insight into the culture, history and legend of the Tlingit and Haida societies.

[Mike Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well told traditional stories.

[Doug Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book to research Kushtakas, shapeshifters in Tlingit and Haida mythology, for a science fiction short story I'm writing. The book helped me understand the cultural context of these myths, which typically centered around violations of codes of conduct - forbidden romances, jealousies, etc. - leading to encroachments by supernatural powers. My contemporary western pro-woman sensibilities were struck by how often women were portrayed as the agents of these various moral failings, and cast into the roles of witches, which resulted in them being tied to a rock below the tide line and left to drown. In contrast, men who engaged in similar behavior were excused or redeemed. This has definitely piqued my curiosity. Is this just how humans are, across cultures? Because it's obviously a thing in white/western history. Or is it an artifact of the writer's perspective? Time for more self-education!

[Andy Loch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shamans and Kushtakas by Mary Giraudo Beck was a fun read. For decades, I have been curious about Native American folk tales. My previous encounters often left me feeling aghast as many tales involve ghastly deeds done by supernatural beings. The stories here had that element too, but the author presented them in plain good story telling fashion. The stories felt surreal and timeless. The themes are as old as our species. Such themes included: generational gaps, marital problems, disdain for the old, greed, and power envy. Each story hooked me to read more, to find out how it might end up. Typically, they ended in a surprising twist.
Ancient ways, thoughts, fears, and hopes live on into our modern times. They are unchanged as ever, and this aspect of folk tales was expertly delivered in these tales. Well done!!

[Danél · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beck presents these Tlingit tales of shamans and kushtaka with a compulsively readable style and wit. Some of these are laugh-out-loud funny, some are spine-tingling, all are insightful into the folklore and myths of the culture. Includes an invaluable forward that describes the physical appearance and cultural practices of the shaman as well. Highly recommended, especially around the Halloween season, as it provides stories rich with a culture that needs preserving as it also whips up some truly compelling and morally complex tales of the supernatural.

[Pieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of a couple of folklore of the Tlingit and Haida on Kushtaka, otter-fey with an earned bad reputation (but whom like fey on occasion do help), and shamans. The stories are interesting and well-written even if some of the endings feel a bit abrupt. It is kind of short and its focus on a specific subject can make it feel a bit limited if you were looking for more of an overview. The page count though did not come as a surprise, and the focus is not a big deal to me. So, a good read.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, and very quick, read. The stories presented are very unique and thought-provoking. One enters a very different world here.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little book I picked up on my Alaskan cruise to give to my son’s Navaho mother-in-law.

Filled with nine interesting legends of the North Coast Aleutian natives: the Tlingit and Haida.

[Christopher Klarmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good clear storytelling, a great way to glean the cultural norms of these tribes as well as an example of teaching through storytelling.

[Susan Yetka Sokolowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories from the Haida and Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska. I enjoyed reading them.

[Cheryl McEnaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed these tales!

[Chloe Glynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute little book, enjoyable stories and lovely details about life and culture.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading an interview with of all people Dylan Carson from the band Earth, I sought out a good book on NW native peoples folklore. This one is alright. Like a lot of oral literature many of the stories contained herein are self-similar (see Orality and Literacy by Walter J. Ong for more thought on that), but that said I read the book straight through while sitting on the stairs of Seattle Children's Theatre waiting for the early show of "Junie B. Jones" to get to intermission while on duty as an usher.

What I really like that book is the sense of paranoia regarding the dark, kind of vaguely evil nature of the woods in the Pacific NW. Which is something I've felt even just on the south I-5 trip from Seattle toward Olympia. Its also a kind of thought that pervades Lynch's Twin Peaks, the mythos of the Green River Killer, meth culture, etc.

Even the shamans who are ostensibly the heroes of the stories are pretty sketch figures who live out in the woods, fasting, never grooming themselves and walking around near naked with only dirt and seal oil to cover them.

Serious forces.

[Beth Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at the State Capitol Museum in Juneau while on cruise in Alaska last summer. It's a short read at 127 pages and nine stories, but it's absolutely fascinating. Our society tends to regard otters as such cute, innocent creatures, but to the Tlingit and Haida their dual nature of living on land and sea makes them tricksters with dark intentions. The Land Otter People "rescue" the drowning and break down their spirit until they become mutant otter beings as well.

I am definitely keeping this book on my shelf and I hope to read up more on Pacific northwest native mythology.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. The magical surreal and kushtaka stories are great, the ones about minor witchery in soap opera settings I couldnt get into, however.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vivid anthology of some prime, fantastic tales all dealing with magic, the supernatural, and the power of nature. A great read to expand one's understanding about early society in NW coast tribes.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I bought this in Alaska.