An abused orphan, ridiculed for his lack of shamanistic knowledge, sings a seemingly trivial song, “Otototoi’, otatatai’,” at a ceremonial gathering. After being beaten, he encounters a ke’le spirit in an abandoned house. Empowered by the ke’le, he returns to the ceremony. The ke’le’s voice terrifies the abusive community before it devours them in retribution
Source
The Jessup North Pacific Expedition
edited by Franz Boas
Memoir of the American Museum
of Natural History – New York
Volume VIII
1. Chukchee Mythology
by Waldemar Bogoras
Leiden & New York, 1910
► Themes of the story
Transformation: The orphan undergoes a significant change from a defenseless child to an empowered individual through his encounter with the ke’le spirit.
Divine Intervention: The ke’le spirit’s involvement represents a supernatural force influencing mortal affairs, aiding the orphan in his quest for justice.
Revenge and Justice: The narrative centers on the orphan’s retribution against those who abused him, culminating in the ke’le spirit punishing the community.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Chukchee people
Once (there was) an orphan child who lived quite by himself [quite alone]. In that place there lived numerous people. The people beat him all the time, and they always treated him violently. The neighbors were all the time striking him. Some of the people arranged a thanksgiving ceremonial. He came to that house, together with the other guests. Then they said, “Oh, you take part in the ceremonial!” — “Oh, how can I take part in the ceremonial? I have no (shamanistic knowledge). I am wholly ignorant.” — “Oh, then just sing a little.” Then he began to take part in the ceremonial, and simply sang a song: “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” “Oh, what is it? Why does he use this bad little song?” They gave him a sound thrashing. He was defenceless. Then they ordered him again: “Well, then, take part in the ceremonial.” — “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” They gave him another thrashing.
► Continue reading…
There was an old jaw-bone house, quite ancient and empty [the jaw-bone house]. He went there in the dark, and there he sang into this house, “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” Then from the dark, from within, the ke’le answered, “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” He sang again, “Otototoi’!” and it answered, “Otototoi’!” from within.
Then the ke’le called him: “O child!” Till then he had no assistant spirits, not a single one. “O child!” — “Ho!” — “What do you want?” — “Oh, enough of this! The people treat me very badly and with violence, all the people.” — “Oh, well, go out!” The ke’le made him go out. He went out, and went again to those who were performing the thanksgiving ceremonial. “Oh, indeed, take part in the ceremonial! Oh, where have you come from? Take part in the ceremonial, will you?”
He again began to take part in the ceremonial, and sang as before, “Otototoi’!” — “Ah, ah, what a song he is using again!” He continued, notwithstanding, “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” Then from within, from underground, came the answer “Otototoi’!”
One old man from a neighboring house heard this. The others were noisy, and heard nothing. “Well, now, stop your noise! I heard something. A voice came to me.” — “Where should he find such a voice, this scamp?” Then again it came from within.
“Oh, my! What is it? The voice gradually approached. They heard it, all of them. “Oh, there! Stop it! Oh!” They felt afraid. Notwithstanding, it continued, “Otototoi’!” — “And now you may jostle me with your elbows, as before.” — “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” With one breath the ke’le swallowed all the people, the doers of violence. He killed them all.
The end.
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Dreamtime Whispers 