Figurehead, traditional Coast Salish canoe
T'wis?a. Does that mean "the loon"?
Notched prow of a sea-going canoe.
Seen at the wind-up of the annual Salish Sea Journey, hosted by the Semiahmoo Nation. More on the design and construction of these canoes, at Ocean Explorer.
Those canoes are absolutely stunning. I like the subtlety of the loon, but the others are such powerful designs.
ReplyDeleteI agree - absolutely stunning. It boggles my mind that these actually are sea worthy. It would take a lot to make me put out to sea in something that small!
ReplyDeleteClytie, they're definitely sea-worthy. Somewhere in my ancient black and white photos I have one of a few men in a similar canoe, without the ceremonial paint, standing to receive a sack of something - flour, potatoes, oatmeal? - from a larger boat. In a heavy swell.
ReplyDeleteThe coastal peoples used to go whaling in boats like these. Although I wonder how many of them drowned per whale.