The Paradox of the White Raven

When I was pregnant with my daughter the place that I lived was at the foot of a mountain and on the edge of the ocean. Often the Raven’s would fly down from the mountain and as I was sitting outside they would play in the sky, tumbling and "speaking" to each other. It actually sounded like they were laughing at times.

This is part of how my daughter got her name. The other part is owing to the native traditions of that region where we lived. The Coast Salish and the Haidi believe that Raven is the creator of the people. The name, when used for a baby, means "magic and creation."

The role Raven plays in the creation stories of the BC coastal people is an integral one. This ensures Raven a place of honour in the subsequent mythos that developed as the people struggled to define their relationship with the divine.

These beliefs become more meaningful when a white Raven is born, like has happened this year (and a past few years) in Qualicum. White is often considered the purest form or expression of something and it’s equally true of the raven - who normally comes only in black.

I don't know if the white Raven is a sign or not (like Miracle) but for me it is something special. You can see some beautiful pictures of them on this blog.

And if anyone came here looking for the Paradox of the White Raven, based on my title, perhaps try here. But you should know that not all Raven's are black.