As told to Erin Linn McMullan

Spring is a season of transformation as life sprouts anew and the whales, with whom Nuu-chah-nulth Peoples have an intimate connection, return to the west coast. Ahousaht multimedia artist George John shares the story behind his stunning whale carving, “Mother of the Sea” gracing Tin Wis Resort’s lobby, sparkling when it catches the light. “It’s a female whale,” he points out, “that’s why I chose that colour for it – speckle stone inlaid with abalone and crystal diamonds.”  

George was inspired by a story told by his grandfather, who would foster his identity as an artist. He began creating art around 13, the same age as his youngest daughter, Devonne, while spending time with his grandparents.

“My grandfather on my mom’s side, he was an artist too. A boat builder and a canoe carver. He would plunk me in the canoe, and he wouldn’t speak. Our elders long time ago never spoke. But they let you learn by watching the process come alive.

“As months went by, I started to catch on to work with the grain and how to shape a canoe from the center line to the width to the length. And then I picked up a tool and he said, ‘That’s all I was waiting for.’”

On another occasion, he asked, “‘Do you want to hear a story, grandson?’ I said, ‘Yes, sure.’

“He started telling me the story of the People right now, like this time and age, what we’re in. Where the cost of food is going up instead of going down and it was a really trying time. So, he started talking about the chief and his three sons.”

The chief told the first son, “‘Son, we’ve got to provide for our People so I’m going to send you out. I want you to go out to the woods and go and find the deer or the elk. So he did. He was all excited. He stayed out for two to three days and he gave up, too cold. He came back empty-handed, and the father said, ‘It’s okay, son. I’ll send your brother out.’

“So, he said to his second son, ‘The People are starving. We need to provide for the People.’ And the second son got all excited because the first son came home empty-handed. ‘I’ll go, I’ll go.’

“He went out fishing. He rowed out in his canoe. He stayed out there for two to three days as well, anchored out. He wasn’t catching anything. So, he came in. He was hurt, sad that he couldn’t provide for the People.”

Only one son remained.

George describes the three figures representing the chief’s sons: two symbols of Eagles with the second son on the bottom and “the mask in the blowhole which is the third son.

“He sent the third son out but before he sent him out, he said, ‘I have to tell you this. You’re going to have to go up to the mountain and pray first.”

Explaining that Osimch (spiritual bathing) is “how we pray for all things to go well in your journey”, George continues, the third son “went up to the river and he prayed three days, three nights.

“He was on the fourth night, the moon was out,” emphasizing its significance to First Nations. “He was praying, and he heard a hissing sound coming down the river while he was Osimching with the water.

“The serpent hissed out,” George deepens his voice, “Wrap me around your neck and I’ll give you great power.”

The third son kept Osimching, unsure if he was just hearing things since he was fasting.

“It hissed again, ‘Wrap me around your neck and I’ll give you great power.’  He wrapped the sea serpent around his neck, and he became this big Thunderbird.”

Then the Thunderbird, visible amidst the stars, descended from čitaapii (Catface Mountain). “He flew down and he scooped up this big blue whale and he brought the big blue whale to his People. He put it on the front beach of Ahousaht and he was a provider of all the People.

“But little did they know that the whale was going to have a baby whale. When they had already cut it open, they let it go. It was still alive,” pointing to the baby behind its mother. “We’re always told by our mother and father to be very grateful for the mother.

“The whole story behind that whale is make sure you do a lot of preparing before you go out and provide, like anything else in this lifetime. Prepare yourself for something big.

“That was a story of my grandfather. He had lots of stories,” and he promised, “One day you’ll bring that story to life.”

George envisions his legacy as providing that same encouragement to his daughters, Devonne and Destiny, to explore their own art, and when his grandson expressed curiosity in his studio, offering a canvas to play with.

Destiny John, Front Office Supervisor at Tin Wis Resort