The Imagined Bear

Abstract

The bear held special significance for pre-agriculturalists in the northern hemisphere. There was a psychological dimension to the human-bear relationship. Many preagriculturalists saw the bear as a person, albeit a different-from-human person who possessed immense spiritual power. This spiritual power was often articulated through stories such as those presented here where bears are portrayed as powerful sacred spirits; as ancestors, healers, shape-shifters, lovers and mates. The stories, however, are not just about bears; the stories are also about cultures and how peoplo saw themselves in bears and saw bears in themselves.