Raven

Raven, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

Raven is one of the principle characters in the stories told by the Pacific Northwest's First Peoples. He is often seen in opposition to Coyote, and both spirits may be referred to as "The Trickster." When the two meet in a tale, As for who wins out in each encounter, it depends on who is telling the story. In the desert country of eastern Washington, Coyote is more likely to be the hero, and the opposite is true for the west side of the mountains where Coyote's mammalian counterpart is less common.

This small desktop "story pole" (the term which is currently considered to be politically correct) comes from the Tulalip nation and was carved in part by Ed Loney as a gift to my mother. When he passed away, the work was completed by his understudy George Craig. Raven, with his prominent "ears" and outstretched wings is the topmost figure.