Description
Spirits of the Coast is an edited work, which brings together the work of marine biologists, Indigenous knowledge keepers, poets, artists, and storytellers, united by their enchantment with the orca. Spirits of the Coast includes essays, artwork, and poetry by 'Laanaas Sdang's Adam Bell, Haida; HlGaawangdlii Skilaa Lawrence Bell, Haida; GwaaGanad Diane Brown, Haida; Jesse Campbell, Métis, K'alapa Rande Cook, Kwakwaka'wakw; Andy Everson, K'omoks and Kwakwaka'wakw; Nexw'Kalus-Xwalacktun James Harry, Skwxwu7mesh; 'Cuagilakv Jess Housty, Hailzaqv; Ka'anni Valeen Jules, Nuucaanul and Kwakwaka;wakw; Haley Kailiehu, Native Hawaiian; Tsaqwasupp Art Thompson, Cowichan and Ditidaht; Santiago X, Koasati and Chamorro; and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Haida. Long feared in settler cultures as "killer whales," and respected and honored by Indigenous cultures as friends, family, or benefactors, orcas are complex social beings with culture and language of their own. With contributors ranging from Briony Penn to David Suzuki, Gary Geddes and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, this collection brings together diverse voices, young and old, to explore the magic, myths, and ecology of orcas. A richly illustrated literary and visual journey through past and possibility, Spirits of the Coast illustrates how these enigmatic animals have shaped us as much as our actions have impacted them, and provokes the reader to imagine the shape of our shared future