| The thunderbird has been one of the most | | | | Lightning is created when the thunderbird |
| dominant icons in Native American art and | | | | throws these lighting snakes or when he |
| legends. In fact, the concept of the | | | | blinks his eyes that glow like fire. |
| thunderbird has been so popular that it has | | | | Sometimes these lightning snakes are depicted |
| been used in the non-Native world to name a | | | | in Native American art as having wolf or |
| classic automobile, liquor, a 1960's | | | | dog-like heads with serpent tongues. They are |
| children's adventure television show (and | | | | occasionally referred to as the thunderbird's |
| subsequent recent movie), a US Air Force | | | | dogs. Native American art portrays the |
| squadron and is referenced in pop music | | | | thunderbird with a huge curving beak and |
| (remember the word 't-bird' in 1950's rock | | | | prominent ears or horns. |
| and roll?). The thunderbird is one of the few | | | | |
| cross-cultural characters in Native American | | | | The thunderbird is large and strong enough to |
| mythology since it is found in legends of | | | | hunt its favorite food which is the killer |
| Pacific Northwest, Plains, and Northeastern | | | | whale. The lightning snakes of the |
| tribes. | | | | thunderbird are used during hunts out at sea |
| | | | for the killer whale. After capture, the |
| The Native Indians of the Pacific Northwest | | | | thunderbird carries the killer whale back to |
| Coast always lived along the shores and never | | | | the mountain to eat. According to legend, the |
| ventured inland to the mountains. Legend has | | | | thunderbird and killer whale once battled so |
| it that the thunderbird, a mighty God in the | | | | hard that entire trees were uprooted. This |
| form of a giant, supernatural bird lives in | | | | was the explanation why there are treeless |
| the mountains. The Quileute tribe of | | | | prairie regions near the Pacific Northwest |
| Washington state considered a cave on Mount | | | | Coast mountains. The thunderbird and killer |
| Olympus as the home of the thunderbird while | | | | whale are often depicted together in |
| the Coast Salish believed it is located on | | | | Northwest Native American art. A large |
| the Black Tusk peak in British Columbia. It | | | | example is at one by reknowned Northwest |
| is thought that the thunderbird never wants | | | | Native American art carver Richard Hunt at |
| anyone to come near its home. If Native | | | | one of the Northwest Native American art |
| hunters get too close, the thunderbird will | | | | exhibits at the Vancouver International |
| smell them and make a thunder sound by | | | | Airport. |
| flapping its wings. It would also roll ice | | | | |
| out of its cave and down the mountain with | | | | The Squamish Nation in British Columbia, |
| chunks breaking up into many smaller pieces. | | | | Canada has a thunderbird as their symbol. |
| | | | Their thunderbird is portrayed as one of the |
| Some tribes such as the Kwakwaka'wakw believe | | | | special messengers of the Creator. The |
| that their people once made a deal with the | | | | Squamish thunderbird is a symbol for strength |
| thunderbird for its help during a food crisis | | | | as well as change with the three tail |
| and in return, the tribe agreed to honor the | | | | feathers representing the past, present and |
| thunderbird for all time by making its image | | | | future. In the talons of this thunderbird is |
| prominent in their Northwest Native American | | | | a face of a lizard which represents spiritual |
| art. This is why West Coast art totem poles | | | | protection for the people of the Squamish |
| are often carved with thunderbirds with | | | | Nation. |
| outstretched wings at the top. | | | | |
| | | | For many people, Natives and non-Natives |
| The wingspan of the thunderbird was described | | | | alike, the thunderbird has become a symbol of |
| to be twice as long as a Native Indian war | | | | power, strength and nobility. Even the |
| canoe. Underneath its wings are lightning | | | | classic automobile of the same name was |
| snakes which the thunderbird uses as weapons. | | | | reintroduced as a contemporary version. |