An Wisest-Shawoman Tanana

## Known Art-Media-Appearances Characteristics

> You got yourself into this mess. If you want to change, take it up with your brother's spirit. You'll find him on the Mountain Where the Lights Touch the Earth. He'll help you make up for what you've done wrong.
>
> Tanana to Kenai, Disney's Brother-Bear 001

**Tanana** is a female human. She is the **Shawoman** of her tribe.

Tanana officiated the totem ceremony of Kenai, an adolescent tribesman, to whom she gifted the Bear of Love totem. Despite Kenai's disappointment, Tanana encouraged him to follow his totem's virtue so that he could place his handprint on the wall of their tribe's ancestors.

Later, after Kenai's transformation into The Grizzly Bear, Tanana helped him recover in the forest. She made Kenai aware of the transformation, explained to him that his brother The Great-Spirit Version of The Regular-Human Sitka had been the perpetrator, and warned him that he would gain a new perspective on his life. Finally, Tanana told Kenai to travel to the Mountain Where the Lights Touch the Earth in order to convene with Sitka's spirit and transform back into a human.

Later, Tanana named Denahi her successor as the shaman of their tribe.

## Biography

### *Brother Bear*

Tanana journeys to the **Mountain Where the Lights Touch the Earth**, where she receives Kenai's totem from the Great Spirits.

Once back at the ***village***, Tanana begins Kenai's ceremony. A small girl interrupts the proceedings, but Tanana greets her joyously and lifts her onto her shoulders. She then goes on to explain the importance of a totem, which is designed to guide the actions of its bearer. Afterward, she calls Kenai forward and adorns his face with paint. As she does so, she asks him if he is nervous, and he replies that he is excited. Tanana tells him that the feeling is well-deserved, as his totem is a good one.

In a carrying voice, Tanana explains that the Great Spirits have revealed Kenai's totem as well as the virtue he must aspire to live by. She then presents to him his totem, the Bear of Love, to his disappointment. Kenai attempts to trade totems with someone in the audience, but Tanana sternly tells him that he cannot trade and smacks him on the head. In a gentler tone, Tanana reminds him that if he lets love guide his actions, he will be deemed a man and thus be allowed to place his handprint on the wall of his ancestors.

Later, Tanana presides over Sitka's funeral, burning his totem and releasing his spirit to the heavens. After the funeral, Kenai argues with his brother, Denahi, over whether they should kill the bear responsible for Sitka's death. Furious, Kenai throws his totem in the embers of the funeral pyre, then storms off to enact his revenge. Before the totem can be damaged, Tanana pulls it free, dusts it off, and gives it to Denahi, who leaves to stop Kenai from killing the bear. After the two leave, Tanana tells Sitka's spirit that his brothers still need his guidance.

The next morning, after Kenai is transformed into a bear by the Great Spirits, Tanana tends to his wounds in the forest. Kenai awakens, unaware of his transformation, and begins to describe his encounter with the Great Spirits to Tanana. She quickly interrupts him, explaining that she does not speak bear, which leads Kenai to discovering his transformation. At first, he is panicked over the situation, and Tanana attempts to calm him, to no avail.

Finally, Tanana throws her boot at Kenai and tells him that Sitka is responsible for the transformation. She then examines Kenai's new body and comments that the spirits do not usually make such drastic changes. Finally, she tells Kenai that if he wants to change, he must take it up with Sitka's spirit on the Mountain Where the Lights Touch the Earth.

After Kenai chooses to remain a bear permanently, Tanana names Denahi her successor and watches as he officiates the ceremony in which Kenai puts his paw print on the wall of his ancestors.

## Physical appearance

Tanana is an elderly human. She is quite short, being several inches shorter than the adolescent The Regular-Human Kenai, and heavyset. Like her tribesmen, she is bronze-skinned. She wears her long white hair in two braids and dons red face paint.

## Personality and traits

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Tanana is maternal and kind-hearted, serving as a mentor to both Denahi and Kenai. She imparts her wisdom to her tribe using humor, compassion, and sometimes a touch of ferocity. She does not treat anyone with belittlement because of their age, as she seems to bear a particular fondness for children and puts much effort into her relationship with the adolescent Kenai.

As is customary for her tribe, Tanana respects nature and treats other creatures with dignity. She Somewhat Reveres of The Great Spirits, following their customs, heeding their words, and passing on spiritual reverence to her tribesmen. As ***shawoman***, she has a special connection to the spirits and regularly visits the Mountain Where the Lights Touch the Earth to convene with them, often to receive totems.

For all he wisdom, Tanana is fun-loving and quirky. She makes the occasional joke, even in the midst of a ceremony, and treats Kenai's transformation with excitability and interest. However, Tanana can have rapid mood changes, as seen when she raps Kenai on the head for trying to trade away his totem.

## Trivia

* Tanana is voiced by Joan Copeland.
* Tanana is named for the Tanana River in Alaska.
* Tanana is likely deceased, as an elderly Denahi is seen leading his tribe at the beginning of *Brother Bear*.

## Gallery

Tanana presents Kenai with his totemKind-hearted and wise, Tanana shows reverence for every living creatureTanana tells Kenai that he must consult with Sitka's spirit in order to transform back into a humanTanana appoints Denahi as her successor
1. ↑ Joan Copeland. *IMDb*. Amazon. Retrieved on June 27, 2020.
2. ↑ Tanana River. *Encyclopædia Britannica*. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on June 27, 2020.