Northwest Coast Native American Thunderbird Wall Plaque

Description

This is a bold, hand-carved, stunning
Thunderbird
wall carving made by First Nations artist Matthew Baker. From the Squamish Nation of British Columbia, Matthew has been carving for over 20 years. This piece is made from yellow cedar and is signed on the back. It measures approximately 17" tall by 5" wide.
Please note that each piece is hand-carved and unique. While your item will resemble the carving illustrated in this listing, there will be slight alterations and differences. The turnover is so high on plaques that it is not feasible to create a new listing for each unique item. All sales on this item are final.
Thunderbird is a supernatural creature that is present within the mythology of many Northwest Coast Native cultures. It is viewed as both a symbol of power and protection. When this great bird blinks its eyes, lightning appears. And when it flaps its massive wings, thunder rolls. To provide an idea of how large and potent this being is, many myths describe it as a predator of killerwhales. Thus, the Thunderbird is often seen paired with whales in Northwest Coast art. Thunderbird is particularly prominent within Kwakwaka’wakw culture because the bird is said to have protected their people at a time of crisis in the distant past. For this reason, the Thunderbird is revered to this day and can often be seen on top of totem poles and used in designs of monumental structures. In the art, Thunderbird can be identified by its sharply curved beak, horns and associated lightning. As mentioned above, the Thunderbird is frequently depicted with whale motifs.
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