Our Totem Is The Raven (1971)

[music] [screaming] >> Why don't you grow up? What does that mean? >> It is a song I learned to sing when I was your age. And I had to prove myself a man. Took 12 moons to learn. Soon you will be singing this song, too. >> Why do you say that? >> Wadeena [singing] Wadeena >> Hey John, what you doing? >> This is the Raven clan staff, David. >> Yeah? What's it for? You going to sell it to an artifact shop or something? >> No, Dave. I carve only for our people. Wadeena Wadeena I'm going back to the old place on Saturday. >> What? >> I'm going back to our land. I want to take David with me. >> Hey, wait a minute. >> He is young, but he's changing. >> That's a good idea, David. You haven't seen the tribe's land. I think you should go with grandfather. >> [music] [music] [music] >> I'm hungry. When do we eat? >> Later. >> What's the matter, David? Aren't you feeling well? >> I'm okay. I'm just not hungry. >> You better eat up, boy. Get it while you can. I'm going to have to tighten up, Janet. I won't be at that cannery much longer. The old salmon run isn't bad as I thought. >> The salmon people are dying. >> Ah, forget it, John. That tribal stuff can't help us now. >> Hey! Do you even know where you're going? >> Of course. Try not to fall behind. >> Wait, grandfather. Wait. Can we rest for just a minute? >> For a minute. >> Can we eat something now? >> No food today. If you're thirsty, you drink from the stream. >> What are you talking about? Why can't we eat? >> No food today, David. This is your quiet your spirit quest. You are a boy to become a man when the spirit vision comes to you. >> You crazy old man. What are you doing to me? I'm not going any further. >> Then you must go back by yourself. Do you know the way? >> David. David. You must not sleep tonight. Or else the spirits will not come to you. >> Grandfather. Grandfather. >> I'm with you, David. Haka Hui Paukena. Come, David. Let's go. >> I can't. >> Of course you can. You wouldn't let a 73-year-old man shame you? >> [crying] [music] [music] >> What are you singing now? >> It's the bathing song. Do you know a hemlock tree? >> Uh-uh. >> There's one right there. Cut me the end of the branches. >> What are you doing that for? >> You do as I do. We do that to strengthen your body. Now, we must dip four times in the water. Again. Good. The salmon people are in this river, son. You must catch one of them. >> What can I use? >> Your cleverness. The cleverness of a man. >> Okay. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Your clothes are wet, no one mind. >> Huh? >> They were talking. Now, dry yourself by the fire. We still have far to go. Listen. The ocean welcomes us. We will stop there and wait. >> O he lo. O he lo. O he. O he lo. O he. >> What are you singing? >> You don't well, David. If the vision comes to you tonight, you'll eat the spirit fish tomorrow. David, our totem is the raven. From tonight, you are a man. The raven spirit is yours. His swiftness and his cleverness are yours. All the lands we pass through come into the ocean once belonged to our tribe. The spirits were everywhere and we lived with them. We used our lands well. Now, the white government and the logging companies, they own everything. Our tribes are scattered among the white man's cities. Our cedar canoes are gone. The salmon people are dying, destroyed by the white fishermen. And our beautiful waters is filled with oil and waste. K'awati, the changer, created us. Perhaps he created the white man as well. But the spirits are dying. And the old ways are dying. Who can stop the winds? And who can turn back the tides? So, I give you this wreath. And I give you this necklace. And I give you the air and the water and the beautiful earth that the white man has stolen from us and ruined. And the spirits which once lived in all things, they're almost gone today. This is the heritage I give you. Keep it in your heart and in your mind. Be a man with feeling heart. >> I'm old David. I hear the voice of the ocean calling me. Come home. Come home. I'm going out to join the old people. The salmon and the sea otter who live in their villages under the sea. >> Mhm.