Native American Art Thunderbird
Native American Art Thunderbird
The thunderbird has been one of the most dominant icons in Native American art and legends. In fact, the concept of the thunderbird has been so popular that it has been used in the non-Native world to name a classic automobile, liquor, a 1960's children's adventure television show (and subsequent recent movie), a US Air Force squadron and is referenced in pop music (remember the word 't-bird' in 1950's rock and roll?). The thunderbird is one of the few cross-cultural characters in Native American mythology since it is found in legends of Pacific Northwest, Plains, and Northeastern tribes.The Native Indians of the Pacific Northwest Coast always lived along the shores and never ventured inland to the mountains. Legend has it that the thunderbird, a mighty God in the form of a giant, supernatural bird lives in the mountains. The Quileute tribe of Washington state considered a cave on Mount Olympus as the home of the thunderbird while the Coast Salish believed it is located on the Black Tusk peak in British Columbia. It is thought that the thunderbird never wants anyone to come near its home. If Native hunters get too close, the thunderbird will smell them and make a thunder sound by flapping its wings. It would also roll ice out of its cave and down the mountain with chunks breaking up into many smaller pieces.Some tribes such as the Kwakwaka'wakw believe that their people once made a deal with the thunderbird for its help during a food crisis and in return, the tribe agreed to honor the thunderbird for all time by making its image prominent in their Northwest Native American art. This is why West Coast art totem poles are often carved with thunderbirds with outstretched wings at the top.The wingspan of the thunderbird was described to be twice as long as a Native Indian war canoe. Underneath its wings are lightning snakes which the thunderbird uses as weapons. Lightning is created when the thunderbird throws these lighting snakes or when he blinks his eyes that glow like fire. Sometimes these lightning snakes are depicted in Native American art as having wolf or dog-like heads with serpent tongues. They are occasionally referred to as the thunderbird's dogs. Native American art portrays the thunderbird with a huge curving beak and prominent ears or horns.The thunderbird is large and strong enough to hunt its favorite food which is the killer whale. The lightning snakes of the thunderbird are used during hunts out at sea for the killer whale. After capture, the thunderbird carries the killer whale back to the mountain to eat. According to legend, the thunderbird and killer whale once battled so hard that entire trees were uprooted. This was the explanation why there are treeless prairie regions near the Pacific Northwest Coast mountains. The thunderbird and killer whale are often depicted together in Northwest Native American art. A large example is at one by reknowned Northwest Native American art carver Richard Hunt at one of the Northwest Native American art exhibits at the Vancouver International Airport.The Squamish Nation in British Columbia, Canada has a thunderbird as their symbol. Their thunderbird is portrayed as one of the special messengers of the Creator. The Squamish thunderbird is a symbol for strength as well as change with the three tail feathers representing the past, present and future. In the talons of this thunderbird is a face of a lizard which represents spiritual protection for the people of the Squamish Nation.For many people, Natives and non-Natives alike, the thunderbird has become a symbol of power, strength and nobility. Even the classic automobile of the same name was reintroduced as a contemporary version.Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.
Native American Astrology: The Hawk (March 21 – April 19)
Native American Astrology: The Hawk (March 21 - April 19)
The Hawk is the first sign of the Native American astrology, it heralds spring and the end of winter. If you are born under this sign, you were born at the "Time of Awakening".Hawks have many of their own peculiarities and distinctions. For instance, if you're a hawk, the direction that best suits you is north east. The East wind carries good tidings for you and your traditional totem animal is the falcon (or more popularly now, the raven).The element that you're most closely connected to is fire. Hawks often possess a powerful and intense personality marked by a recurrent habit of spontaneous activity. This spills over into their love lives, where hawks are firey, passionate and spontaneous.Emotionally, Hawks have a tendency to be both fast and varied. Getting off to a "new start" is often a constant theme shared by those under this sign.Gracious, adventuresome and ready to try new things, Hawks make for fun friends. But watch out, behind their sunny smiles and pleasant manners lurk less desirable qualities like impatience, a boastful attitude, and a leaning toward egocentricity.Often aspiring towards leadership roles and chances to become initiated in small, powerful circles, in truth what Hawks truly seek is knowledge through experience.But, in order to have success in particular endeavors, or just in life in general, Hawks must learn to develop patience, sympathy and perseverance. They should also be sure to avoid intolerance, vanity and arrogance whenever possible.When it comes to relationships, Hawks work best with the Salmon (July 22 - August 21) or the Owl (November 23 - December 21) signs.Want to know your best days and times?Your best day is Tuesday. Daily, you're best hours fall between 3 and 5 am. Because you are much more of a morning person than many others, you should save your earnings for relaxation!Jennifer Gibbs is a successful freelance writer who lives in South Georgia with her husband and son. Be sure to check out her website at http://www.JenniferGibbs.com for more information, free articles and a chance to add her to your team.
Native American Indian Art Wood Carvings of the Pacific Northwest
Native American Indian Art Wood Carvings of the Pacific Northwest
Native American Indian art in the American southwest is dominated by the magnificent pottery and jewelry in the region. When it comes to the Pacific Northwest region which covers the states of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia (Canada) and the southern part of Alaska, the Native American art here is mostly wood carvings. This is not surprising since unlike the southwest desert, the Pacific Northwest is abundant with forests which have provided the wood as raw material for the region's Native American Indian art.The wood carvings of the Pacific Northwest Native American art come in many different forms. The huge totem poles which are carved on entire tree trunks are probably the most famous. Certainly the most common form of contemporary Pacific Northwest Native American art is the plaque wood carving. The entire range of Pacific Northwest Native American Indian art subjects including eagles, ravens, thunderbirds, bears, killer whales and salmons are carved as plaques to be hung on the wall. A more complex project and usually higher priced would be the masks which are also carved out of wood. The Pacific Northwest Native American artists make some of the most striking aboriginal masks in the world.Creative artists and carvers from this region have also used wood to carve out bowls, paddles, rattles and boxes which are all expertly decorated with Pacific Northwest Native American Indian designs. Some carvers have even carved more day to day objects such as letter openers out of wood again decorated with the region's Native motifs. Although not restricting themselves to just wood, the Pacific Northwest Native American artists also do art prints, paintings and precious metal jewelry but overall wood is still the most common material used in their artwork.The Pacific Northwest style of Native American Indian art is still unknown to many parts of North America and the rest of the world but this will definitely change as the 2010 winter Olympics in British Columbia approaches. The world will see British Columbia and as visitors to this Canadian province have already noticed, there are fine examples of Pacific Northwest Native American Indian art everywhere one goes in the west coast of Canada.Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.