Coyote’s Journey

In the Karuk language, the word for shadow is the same as the word for spirit. 

Ancient tradition and cutting-edge technology are masterfully blended in this powerful live performance of Native California Karuk stories following the adventures and misadventures of California's native trickster: Coyote.

Charlie "Red Hawk" Thom's Coyote's Journey is a traditional Native California Karuk tale brought to light by ShadowLight Productions using the ancient medium of shadow theater, with live bilingual (Karuk/English) storytelling, singing, and drumming, giantprojected shadows and live actors.

Performers:
Ramon Abad, Lorna Aquino Chui, Deborah Bruce, David Brian Cuzick, Ryan Drury, Margaret Hatcher, Clarence Hostler, Debora Iyall, Leonidas Kassapides, Tim Lee Smith, Christine Marie, I Made Moja, Larry Reed, Charlie Thom, Anthony White

Members of the Karuk Tribe Leaf and Lisa Hillman have collaborated with Cleo Wolfle-Hazard and Jocine Velasco at the University of Washington to create a Storymap detailing Tishánik's history with environmental injustice. Lisa Hillman, a cultural practitioner and Karuk basketweaver, tells the story of Coyote’s Journey alongside a record of ecologically destructive mining practices stemming from the California Gold Rush.

In honor of this piece, we are making ShadowLight's Coyote's Journey available to stream for free using the promo code COYOTE22 until August 1st!

Check out the Storymap website here.