Skaay facts for kids
Skaay was a very special storyteller from the Haida village of Ttanuu. He was born around 1827 in a place called Qquuna. Skaay was blind and had a physical disability, but he was incredibly gifted at telling stories.
Even though Skaay could neither read nor write, his amazing stories have been saved for us to enjoy. A person named John R. Swanton wrote them down with help from Henry Moody in the winter of 1900. These written versions are very special because they are exactly how Skaay told them, keeping his exact words.
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Skaay's Incredible Stories
Skaay shared many important stories. He chose to tell three main ones that are very famous.
The Qquuna Cycle
One of his most important stories is called the Qquuna Cycle. This is the longest poem ever written down in the Haida language. It's a huge and detailed story that shares a lot about the Haida world.
Family History and Raven Tales
Skaay also told Qquuna Qiighawaay, which is the oral history of his own family. This means it's the story of his family passed down through generations by speaking, not writing. He also shared his own version of the well-known Raven Travelling tale. These are stories about Raven, a very important character in Haida myths.
Skaay's Life and Name
We know a few things about Skaay from old church records. In 1884, he was baptized and given the name "Robert McKay." Later, on March 13, 1892, he was baptized again, and his name was written simply as "Sky." In January 1894, he registered his marriage to a woman named "Esther" and was baptized one more time, this time as "John Sky."
The name 'Skaay' in the Haida language refers to a type of mollusk, which is a sea creature like a snail or clam. The Haida people were traditionally divided into two main groups, called moieties. These groups were known as the Raven and the Eagle. Skaay belonged to the Eagle moiety.
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