A bit of American history


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Native American Art Thunderbird

The thunderbird has been one of the mostthunderbird uses as weapons. Lightning
dominant icons in Native American artis created when the thunderbird throws
and legends. In fact, the concept of thethese lighting snakes or when he blinks
thunderbird has been so popular that ithis eyes that glow like fire. Sometimes
has been used in the non-Native world tothese lightning snakes are depicted in
name a classic automobile, liquor, aNative American art as having wolf or
1960's children's adventure televisiondog-like heads with serpent tongues.
show (and subsequent recent movie), a USThey are occasionally referred to as the
Air Force squadron and is referenced inthunderbird's dogs. Native American art
pop music (remember the word 't-bird' inportrays the thunderbird with a huge
1950's rock and roll?). The thunderbirdcurving beak and prominent ears or
is one of the few cross-culturalhorns.
characters in Native American mythologyThe thunderbird is large and strong
since it is found in legends of Pacificenough to hunt its favorite food which
Northwest, Plains, and Northeasternis the killer whale. The lightning
tribes.snakes of the thunderbird are used
The Native Indians of the Pacificduring hunts out at sea for the killer
Northwest Coast always lived along thewhale. After capture, the thunderbird
shores and never ventured inland to thecarries the killer whale back to the
mountains. Legend has it that themountain to eat. According to legend,
thunderbird, a mighty God in the form ofthe thunderbird and killer whale once
a giant, supernatural bird lives in thebattled so hard that entire trees were
mountains. The Quileute tribe ofuprooted. This was the explanation why
Washington state considered a cave onthere are treeless prairie regions near
Mount Olympus as the home of thethe Pacific Northwest Coast mountains.
thunderbird while the Coast SalishThe thunderbird and killer whale are
believed it is located on the Black Tuskoften depicted together in Northwest
peak in British Columbia. It is thoughtNative American art. A large example is
that the thunderbird never wants anyoneat one by reknowned Northwest Native
to come near its home. If Native huntersAmerican art carver Richard Hunt at one
get too close, the thunderbird willof the Northwest Native American art
smell them and make a thunder sound byexhibits at the Vancouver International
flapping its wings. It would also rollAirport.
ice out of its cave and down theThe Squamish Nation in British Columbia,
mountain with chunks breaking up intoCanada has a thunderbird as their
many smaller pieces.symbol. Their thunderbird is portrayed
Some tribes such as the Kwakwaka'wakwas one of the special messengers of the
believe that their people once made aCreator. The Squamish thunderbird is a
deal with the thunderbird for its helpsymbol for strength as well as change
during a food crisis and in return, thewith the three tail feathers
tribe agreed to honor the thunderbirdrepresenting the past, present and
for all time by making its imagefuture. In the talons of this
prominent in their Northwest Nativethunderbird is a face of a lizard which
American art. This is why West Coast artrepresents spiritual protection for the
totem poles are often carved withpeople of the Squamish Nation.
thunderbirds with outstretched wings atFor many people, Natives and non-Natives
the top.alike, the thunderbird has become a
The wingspan of the thunderbird wassymbol of power, strength and nobility.
described to be twice as long as aEven the classic automobile of the same
Native Indian war canoe. Underneath itsname was reintroduced as a contemporary
wings are lightning snakes which theversion.



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