SALUTE TO A WHALE - CONSIGNMENT PRINTERS PROOF #2/2

Every year, the Gray whales come back to the West Coast on their annual migration. This incredible occasion has been repeated for thousands of years and is deeply ingrained in the legends and society of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth people. In years gone by, the Westcoasters used the whale for food. It was their staple food, with sacred spiritual societies formed to protect those brave ones who harvested the whale each year. Today, there are a few who are bringing back the old traditional whale hunt incorporating spiritual discipline. This is a good thing, for it brings back the spirit of a nation that has existed since the earliest times. When people can connect with their ancestors and bring back the beauty, truth, and strength of their lineage, it is a good thing for them and the generations that follow.

 The growing economy that has helped the people inhabit the West Coast today is fueled by the large and growing guided whale watching that attracts people from all over the world. The Gray whales have been returning in ever-increasing numbers and even the humpback that usually travels further offshore is being seen in close, no doubt as a result of the increasing population of humpback whales. All of this awesome spectacle of migrating whales continues to bring travellers to the West Coast and our town of Tofino to enjoy the wonder of it all in Salute to a Whale.

So it is that Thunderbird continues to emerge from the mists of time with its heavenly appearance. Whale continues to be in the sea and westcoasters with their canoes are suspended between sea and sky, between Thunderbird and Whale.