Beliefs

The Tlingits had myths and legends about ravens, thunderbirds and other animals. These stories were a benefit to the younger generation because they teached them lessons about life. They also believed in reincarnation, where newborn children were named after a person who recently passed on and shared a similar personality of that person. They cleansed in fresh water so that gaurdian spirits can help them in daily life. And they believed in shamans, medicine men who traveled to other villages for events or to battle with other shamans, who had apprentices to assist them and were the only ones from their village who were burried in boxes with their belongings and were never bothered out of respect and fear. Their culture, as well as every other culture in Alaska, was based on respect. Landon, S. (2002). The Native People of Alaska. Anchorage, AK: Greatland Graphics.