Owl-form Ghost chief (Tate’s account)

Overview

The central figure of Tate’s Nass River story first imitates a shaman during childhood, with four friends as his singers. As a young man he lies in an open coffin and collapses; although the account calls him dead, his heart still beats when his people recover him. Several shamans restore him over four days and nights. Their combined charms and his earlier practice prepare the extraordinary powers attributed to him. He begins retrieving souls from the Ghost town, defeats its hostile chief and takes the ruler’s bone regalia.

His successes extend to a drowned princess whose skeleton is found the following spring. The story attributes her restored flesh and life to his supernatural helper, the performance of his companions and his ritual actions. These feats provoke other shamans to plot against him. After eating at their invitation, he becomes ill and announces that he will die but can return after one year if a relative stands beneath his coffin to catch him. A nephew volunteers. The prince enters the coffin wearing the regalia taken from the Ghost chief.

At the appointed time the family sees him in the form of a strange owl. They collapse in fear. One faithful companion attempts to catch him but is refused; the promised nephew also falls back afraid. The owl then announces that the Ghosts have made him their chief, that his relatives and hostile shamans will join him, and that his loyal companions alone will inherit his powers. He drops into the box, which closes by itself. When it is opened the next morning, it contains only eagle down.

The subsequent deaths and punishments fulfil his announcement. His four companions become shamans who consult him and retrieve souls with his permission. He now establishes a limit: a person who has been dead for four days cannot be restored. Sympathy for another grieving family leads the companions to attempt a return after the limit has passed. The chief detains them for disobedience; their bodies are found in the graveyard and buried. The story ends there, preserving both the former healer’s continuing assistance and his authority to withhold return.

The owl appearance belongs to this named episode’s otherwise unnamed prince. It is not evidence that all owls are dead shamans, nor is it merged with the separate woman transformed into an owl in Tate’s hunter narrative. The earlier resurrection feats and later imposed limit are successive parts of the account, not a single consistent rule silently applied backwards.

Origins & earliest records

Franz Boas, Tsimshian Mythology, based on texts recorded by Henry W. Tate, published in 1916 in the Bureau of American Ethnology’s thirty-first report for 1909–1910. Boas translated Tate’s free interlinear English renderings of his Tsimshian texts. The preface notes Tate’s editorial choices and some influence from published collections; the 1916 volume omits the original-language text.

Records & interpretation

Story 54, The Ghost Who Fought with the Great Shaman, complete pp. 322–330; preface pp. 31–32.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Tsimshian Mythology

   Henry W. Tate, recorder; Franz Boas, translator and editor · 1916

   Story 54, The Ghost Who Fought with the Great Shaman, complete pp. 322–330; preface pp. 31–32.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary textBoas/Tate 1916: The Ghost Who Fought with the Great ShamanResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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