Indigenous art 24" high model totem pole hand carved and painted by Kwak'waka'wakw artist Leonard Scow.
A Thunderbird sitting atop a Killer Whale. A human face is on the thunderbird's chest, and another one upside down is below on the killer whale's tail fin. The thunderbird and killer whale are often portrayed together because they are ancient enemies. Thunderbirds hunt whales for food. In stories the two have had epic battles which caused earthquakes tidal waves. The human faces refer to the relationships between the human, animal and supernatural worlds.
Lawrence Scow, born in 1958 in Fort Rupert near Port Hardy, British Columbia, is a celebrated member of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. Growing up in a family with a rich legacy of carvers, Lawrence was surrounded by the traditions of his ancestors. He initially pursued a career as a commercial fisherman which he has continued to practice. This lifelong connection to the sea granted him an intimate understanding of the coastal environment and its inhabitants, deeply influencing his artistic perspective.
