This article is about the abridged 2019 version. For the BeForever version, see The Journey Begins.
Kaya: The Journey Begins is a bound, abridged book of the first two books of Kaya's original Central Series. It is included with the Kaya doll when she is purchased and is available separately.
Stories Included[]
Changes from The Journey Begins[]
- Prior illustrations, including the Friends and Family/dramatis personae are restored.
- A diagram of a Niimíipuu village, with a cutaway of a tepee is shown at the start of the volume.
- A paragraph at the start explains that Kaya and her people are Niimíipuu (also known by the exonym Nez Percé) and speak the Nez Perce language, or Niimiipuutímt. Therefore several words of the language are used, which are defined in the glossary. The meaning of Kaya's name is also given.
- Chapter One, Let's Race! is split into two chapters:
- "Let's Race" contains the opening and ends just before Kaya goes to race Fox Tails.
- "The Stick People" contains Kaya's race with Fox Tails.
- Chapter Two, Switchings! and part of Chapter Three, Courtship Dance are split across multiple chapters with scenes removed:
- Switched! contains the group punishment for the children and Kaya's nickname given.
- Nicknames is Kaya talking about nicknames with Aalah.
- Riding with Toe-ta contains Kaya riding with her father and the second half of "Courtship Dance" with Speaking Rain falling into the river.
- The first half of "Courtship Dance," where Brown Deer chooses Cut Cheek as her partner, is removed.
- The last part of Chapter Four, Rescued from the River, removes the rest of the scene after Kaya wondering if she will someday receive a vision.
- Chapter Five, Taken Captive! and Chapter Six, Slaves of the Enemy are split across multiple chapters with scenes removed:
- "Salmon River Country" contains Kaya and others gathering huckleberries for winter. The first scene of the chapter, where Kaya stretches and then takes a few berries, is omitted.
- "A Raid in the Night" contains the attack by the raiders and Kaya and Speaking Rain's capture, and removes the scenes of Kaya's worries about her father and others returning to find them gone.
- "Taken Captive" picks up with Kaya squeezing Speaking Rain's hand, and concludes at Kaya's first sight of Two Hawks.
- "Otter Woman" contains the first part of Kaya's enslavement with the raiders, and ends with her lamentations about Steps High; the scene of the man abusing Steps High and Kaya observing it are removed.
- "Two Hawks" contains Kaya meeting Two Hawks and the two of them planning escape.
- Chapter Seven, Escape! is split across multiple chapters:
- "Escape!" contains Kaya and Two Hawks escaping into the night and finding rest.
- "Danger" picks up the next morning, ending with the cougar attack.
- Chapter Eight, On the Buffalo Trail, is split across multiple chapters:
- "Working Together" picks up where the last chapter ended, and ends with Kaya building the cairn with her magpie feather.
- "Following Signs" covers Kaya and Two Hawks climbing higher, his injury, and the end of Kaya's Escape when her father finds them.
See Also[]
- Kaya's Story Collection I
- Kaya's Story Collection II
- The Journey Begins: A Kaya Classic Volume 1
- Smoke on the Wind: A Kaya Classic Volume 2
- Kaya: Smoke on the Wind