Hand carved yellow cedar paddle with thunderbird and orca designs by Musqueam artist David Louis.
For the Indigenous peoples of Canada's West Coast, the Thunderbird is a profoundly significant supernatural being, a powerful embodiment of the awesome forces of nature, and a central figure in spiritual and ceremonial life. The Orca Whale is equally foundational. It is a primary clan crest and is thought of as a relative. The whale teaches how to live in an extended family and care for each other.
