Indigenous art painting by Gord Hill (Kwak'waka'wakw). Acrylic paint on artists paper. 30" by 22".
The Thunderbird is a supernatural being that looks like a giant Eagle, except that he is depicted with curly ears or horns. The human face on his chest illusatrates the relationship between humans and Thunderbirds.
He creates Thunder by flapping his wings and Lightning flashes from his eyes. He catches Orca Whales with his powerful talons and carries them to his home on the mountaintops to feast on. The Thunderbird is associated with the western direction of the medicine wheel, with water, which is the source of all life, and with the Cedar Tree.
Gord Hill is a committed Indian Movement activist. The thunderbird is a symbol of power and strength for the struggle against oppression and theft of land and resources.
