Tlingit Moon & Tide - Alaska Native Knowledge Network - University ...

Lesson 1: Box of Daylight
Overview
The lesson begins with the viewing of the Box of Daylight
video, followed by a discussion of the story. In this lesson,
students are introduced to the Tlingit creation story of the sky.
The Tlingit world is defined by the cosmos, the land, and the
ocean. In the Tlingit world:
• The cosmos had a beginning; it is precious and valuable.
• Day and night is a pattern.
• The moon represents power, light, and motion.
This video provides the basis for demonstrating place—an
important cultural standard for the young child. Show the video
of the Tlingit story Box of Daylight (8.5 minutes). If possible,
have an elder come in to tell the story, and if the elder is willing,
allow the students to ask the elder the importance of the
story to Tlingit. If you do not have the assistance of a Tlingit
storyteller, read the story and engage the students in a discussion
of the story. The story is available in ethnographic work
(Swanton 1909) or in contemporary children’s books
(McDermott 1993; Pelton and DiGennaro 1992).
Compare this legend to other Native legends on the creation
of the cosmos: Boas 1916, pp. 60–64; Lopez 1977, pp. 15–17;
Yupik Lore 1981, pp. 179–181.
Materials and Equipment
• VCR and TV
• Box of Daylight video (Sealaska Heritage Foundation)
• Written copies of the myth
• A map of southeast Alaska and western Canada (to see the
Nass River)
• Examples of a moon mask, or the moon represented in
Tlingit regalia
Chapter 2—Dis: The Moon in Tlingit Culture • 11