Thunderbird and Killerwhale

Thunderbird and Killerwhale
lessLIE (2004)
U010.14.12

A long time ago, a supernatural whale occupying Cowichan Bay blocked off the mouth of the Cowichan River. This supernatural whale ate all the salmon around it, and prevented the remaining salmon from ascending the Cowichan River. As a result of not having salmon ascending the Cowichan River, the Cowichan Tribes experienced a period of starvation. Out of desperation, members of the Cowichan Tribes attempted to ward off this supernatural whale, but failed. So the Cowichan Tribes called upon the mighty Thunderbird. Thunderbird swooped down, grabbed the supernatural whale, and flew away with him. After this, the Cowichan Tribes once again enjoyed the salmon of the Cowichan River.

– lessLIE

Other versions of this legend can be found in Maynard Johnny Jr.’s Answer to the Call and Luke Marston’s Thunderbird and Killerwhale.

lessLIE, or Leslie Robert Sam (born 1973) is a Coast Salish artist from Duncan, BC. This highly talented and original artist works in multi-media, but particularly enjoys dealing with serigraphs. As a graduate student at the University of Victoria, he studied conventional Coast Salish art. The artist draws on traditional iconographic elements, while inventively intertwining his art with contemporary texts.