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Hummingbirds

“Hummingbirds”

In the spirit of spindle whorls, this circular Coast Salish design depicts two hummingbirds protecting the oval egg between them. As a contemporary Coast Salish artist whose spiritual traditions are vitally dependent on animals, it is a beLEAF (be one with nature) of mine that animals are better guardians of the circle of the earth than humans are. As a contemporary Cowichan, as a Penelakut of the present, I believe that animals have a lot to teach humans about protecting and perpetuating life on the circle of the earth.

I believe that nature and animals possess much power and wisDUMB, nature is our teacher. In keeping with the Coast Salish belief that nature is our teacher, I have learned the colors of these hummingbirds from nature. The brownish red and brilliant crimson of this design were inspired by the actual colors of Rufous hummingbirds, one of two species of hummingbird indigenous to Coast Salish territory.

–lessLIE