Bear Guardian of Haida

guardian · Canada · North America

Bears hold a central place in Haida tradition, appearing as crest figures, on totem poles and regalia, and in the well-known Bear Mother story, in which a woman marries a bear and the bears teach respect for their kind. 'Bear Guardian' is a general label for this attested bear reverence rather than a single named spirit; the boundary between bear and human is a genuine Haida concern.

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