Battle of the Orca and Thunderbird
Won “Best of Show, Sculpture” in the 2018 Artists for
Conservation International Wildlife Exhibition
The Cowichan people on the West Coast of Canada have a legend regarding a battle between a Killer Whale (Orca) and The Thunderbird. There was a time during one spawning season when absolutely no salmon came up the Cowichan River. Salmon are the most important food source that sustains the Cowichan people through the winter, so they scouted the river and discovered a Supernatural Orca had claimed the mouth of the Cowichan River and was mercilessly eating all the salmon.
The Cowichan people paddled their mighty war canoes out to The Orca, but trying with all their strength, they could not drive away the huge orca. The medicine people of all of the Cowichan villages, joined by all the people, sang their most powerful songs calling upon supernatural Thunderbird for help. Thunderbird appeared and soon locked in a fierce battle with The Orca. Thunderbird was victorious and the salmon run was liberated. In this sculpture, The Orca and Thunderbird can be seen interlocked in battle with Thunderbird latched tightly around the belly of The Orca. Sculpted from Pyrophyllite from South Africa and suspended with an Acrylic rod above a beautiful base of hand cut and polished Aventurine from Brazil.
11” H x 10” W x 6.25” D | SOLD
Battle of The Orca & Thunderbird | Octopus Teacher | Peregrine Falcon Emerge from The Void | Self Portrait Bust | Jonah and the Great Whale | Angel of the Lord | Ball Python Twins | Two Headed Bird | Back Flip Orca | Tree Frog | Stylized Angel Fish | Enoplosus Armatus | Baby Orca | Surfing Seal | Jonah and the Great Fish | The Raven | Boy who became an Eagle | Brujo and His Ally | Peace Pipe | Stó:lō Style First Nations Drum | Nebula | The Kiss | We Are All in This Together | I Can’t Hear You | Salmon | The Traveler | Battle of the North and South Winds | Applause
