Bear and Berry Wisdom

Who is náanaa k’ayáa?

1. 
   

• 1. the narrator’s great-grandmother

• 1. the narrator’s sister

  
  

• 1. the narrator’s friend

  
  

• 1. the narrator’s child

  
  

What is the narrator describing in this story?

1. 
   

• 1. The narrator is reflecting on times that she has visited her náanaa k’ayáa in southeastern Alaska.

  
  

• 1. The narrator is telling a Haida story that her náanaa k’ayáa taught her one summer in southeastern Alaska.

  
  

• 1. The narrator is looking forward to her visit next summer to a Haida village in Alaska, where she will meet many of her cousins.

  
  

• 1. The narrator is telling a story that her mother told her about growing up in a Haida community in southeastern Alaska.

  
  

Read the following sentences from this story.

“‘When the táan (black bear) hear us singing our songs, they will leave us alone,’ great-grandmother told us. ‘They respect us and we respect them. When it is their turn to pick berries, we leave them alone, too…’

Our náanaa k’ayáa would teach us how to dance and sing like the animals in and around our village. We spread our arms out like the wings of the eagle. We hopped about curiously, looking around, like the raven. We put one hand on our foreheads like a dorsal fin and make the “woosh” sound, like the orca’s. Or we crouched down like the bear and growled, putting our hands up to show our claws.”

What can you conclude about the relationship between people in this Haida village and the animals who live in their environment?

• 1. People in the Haida village don’t think very much about the animals near them.

  
  

• 1. People in the Haida village are mean to the animals that live around them.

  
  

• 1. People in the Haida village respect and celebrate the animals that live around them.

  
  

• 1. People in the Haida village are afraid of the animals that live near them.

  
  

What is one value that the narrator learns from her náanaa k’ayáa and the Haida community?

1. 
   

• 1. She learns not to eat animals.

  
  

• 1. She learns that you should always keep food for yourself.

• 1. She learns to respect and listen to her elders.

  
  

• 1. She learns to protect her family from scary animals.

  
  

What is the main idea of this text?

1. 
   

• 1. The narrator’s náanaa k’ayáa, or great-grandmother, speaks many languages, including Haida, Chinook, Tlingit, English, Russian, and Tsimshian.

• 1. By spending time with her náanaa k’ayáa in Alaska, the narrator learns about traditions of the Haida tribe and makes special memories with her family.

  
  

• 1. Black bears can be very dangerous, but if you make enough noise, they should leave you alone most of the time.

• 1. There are many types of berries in southeastern Alaska in the summer, including salmonberries and smile berries, but the narrator’s favorite are gooseberries.

  
  

Read the following sentences from the text.

“In our village, everyone lives humbly and takes care of each other, sharing whatever they catch from the ocean: salmon, shrimp, crabs, herring roe on kelp, seal, sea otter. Elders always receive their shares first. That’s just the way it has always been. And the children serve the elders. Somehow, this practice helps bring balance among the generations.”

What does the word balance most closely mean as it’s used here?

• 1. when two groups of people disagree about something

  
  

• 1. the feeling of calm that happens as you’re falling asleep

• 1. when things feel chaotic and scary between two groups

  
  

• 1. when things are equal and peaceful between different groups

  
  

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

The narrator learns many things about Haida culture from her náanaa k’ayáa, _____ the Haida language.

• including

• 1. except for

  
  

• although

• 1. in conclusion