The story follows the eldest of several brothers, named Qa’qatcgu’k, who are avid hunters. One day, after unsuccessful hunting, they become stranded at sea for twelve days due to a storm. Eventually, they drift to an island abundant with marine life, where they reside for over a year. Guided by a dream, Qa’qatcgu’k leads his brothers back home, only to find that his wife has remarried, believing him dead. Despite this, he generously shares his acquired wealth with the community.
Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909
► Themes of the story
Quest: The brothers embark on a hunting expedition that turns into an unintended journey of survival and discovery.
Loss and Renewal: Presumed dead by their community, their eventual return signifies a renewal of life and relationships.
Conflict with Nature: Their struggle against the sea’s elements underscores the theme of human versus nature.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Tlingit people
Story “Qaqatcgu’k” is a Wrangell version of the same story.
This story was obtained at Sitka.
At Sitka were several brothers, the eldest of whom was named Qaqatcgu’k. They were fond of hunting. One morning they went out among the islands. [Qaqatcgu’k] killed nothing. Again he went to the place where he had been in the habit of going. Then his name was mentioned among the fur seals. “It is he who is always hunting. Keep quiet, for he might hear you.” Now when they were going shoreward the eldest brother said, “Pull ahead quickly, for the wind is beginning to blow.” Then they became angry. The bow man laid his paddle down in the canoe. All did the same. Then they began to cover their heads. The canoe, however, drifted out. It drifted far out for six days and nights. On the twelfth he awoke to find the canoe drifting ashore. He saw an island on which were sea lions, seals, fur seals, sea otters, and sea-lion bristles. All had drifted on to the island. Then they took their things up. They stayed there one year. When a year and a half was completed, the man slept, thinking about himself.
► Continue reading…
One morning he awoke with a dream. He dreamed that he had gotten home. And one morning he said to his younger brothers, “Get up quickly. Let us head the canoe shoreward at random. The sun always rises from behind Mount Verstovaia.” So they headed shoreward. When it became dark they lowered their anchor into the sea in the direction of the sunrise, and after they had been out for many nights they saw a sea gull swimming about. It was really Mount Edgecumbe that they saw. When they got near to it they saw plainly that it was Mount Edgecumbe. “Head straight for the mountain,” said Qaqatcgu’k, and toward evening they came near it. They named the place where they came in Canoe-resting-place. There he pounded out the figure of a sea lion so that people might know he had come ashore at that place. Then they came to Sitka.
When they arrived in front of this town his old wife was weeping outside. While she was crying she saw the canoe come in front of the town. She saw the root hat she herself had woven. She started up, and went into the house. When they came in below the old woman felt happy. When her husband came up to her he gave away all sorts of things to the people-sea-lion whiskers, sea-otter skins, fur-sealskins. He shook hands with his brothers-in-law. [This form of greeting is, of course, modern.] Then they said to him, “This long time the death feast has been held for you.” The young woman, however, was already married. She mourned much [to think that she had left her first husband who was now so wealthy].
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Dreamtime Whispers 