Tsimshian Texts (Nass River Dialect) By Franz Boas [1902]

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The Tsimshian are a tribe of Native Americans residing on the coast of British Columbia. This was the first set of Tsimshian texts with English translations that Boas published. The companion book, Tsimshian Texts (New Series), published in 1912, is also available at .

Boas notes that these were 'only moderately well told'. In several cases, the narratives duplicate stories documented elsewhere in the Northwest region. However, these texts stand by themselves and make interesting reading. Boas' Tsimshian collection techniques have been criticized in recent years, but the extensive parallels with other bodies of folklore, both regionally and globally, leave no doubt that these stories are authentic.

Note about the picture: The Edward Curtiss photograph (above) is actually of a Kwakiutl ceremony, a neighboring tribe. However it is very typical of the region.

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Title Page
Contents
Introduction
Txä'msEm and Lôgôbolā'
Txä'msEm
Txä'msEm
The Stone and the Elderberry Bush
The Porcupine and the Beaver
The Wolves and the Deer
The Stars
Rotten-feathers
K*?ēLku
The Sealion Hunters
Smoke-hole
Ts?ak*
Growing-Up-Like-One-Who-Has-A-Grandmother
Little-eagle
She-Who-Has-A-Labret-On-One-Side
The Grizzly Bear
Squirrel
Witchcraft

Supplementary Stories

The Origin of the G*ispawaduwE'da
Asi-hwî'l
The Grouses
TsEgu'ksk^u
Rotten-Feathers (continued)

Abstracts

Txä'msEm And Lôgôbolā'
Txä'msEm
Txä'msEm
The Stone and the Elderberry Bush
The Porcupine and the Beaver
The Wolves and the Deer
The Stars
Rotten-feathers
K*?ēLku
The Sealion Hunters
Smoke-hole
Ts?ak*
Growing-Up-Like-One-Who-Has-A-Grandmother
Little-Eagle
She-Who-Has-A-Labret-On-One-Side
The Grizzly Bear
The Squirrel
The Origin Of The G*ispawaduwE'da
Asi-hwî'l
The Grouses