One of the orphan brothers associated with the story that Boss Ribs tells Fools Crow about the history of the Beaver Medicine bundle. The wife of Akaiyan’s brother, Nopatsis, grows tired of her brother-in-law and falsely accuses him of abuse. Nopatsis then abandons his brother on a deserted island, and after resigning himself to death, Akaiyan is taken in by a family of beaver. When his brother comes back to find his bones, Akaiyan tricks him and deserts him instead. Because of his brother’s betrayal, however, Akaiyan forms a close friendship with the beaver and he teaches him the songs and prayers of his people. He gifts Akaiyan a Sacred Pipe, the first totem of the bundle, and Akaiyan asks the other animals to contribute to the bundle as well, becoming the Beaver Medicine Bundle. Akaiyan hands the bundle down to his son, and it has been handed down ever since.
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Akaiyan Character Timeline in Fools Crow
The timeline below shows where the character Akaiyan appears in Fools Crow. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 17
Boss Ribs tells Fools Crow about two orphan brothers, Akaiyan and Nopatsis. Akaiyan lived with Nopatsis and his wife, who grew tired of Akaiyan. She...
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Akaiyan was convinced that he was going to die on the island, but he tried to...
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Spring came and Nopatsis returned to the island to find his brother’s bones. Akaiyan waited in the bushes, and as soon as Nopatsis left in search of him, he...
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The beaver began to miss Akaiyan and went to him in a dream. The next day Akaiyan went to the island...
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