pacific northwest

Among the Inuit in the Canadian arctic, wolves are feared and revered for their speed, cunning and endurance; their maritime counterpart, killer whales, were called the wolves of the sea, due to their similar abilities and veracious appetites. It is a similar image and presence of the whale that associates them with power, largeness and mystery for the Nuu-chah-nulth people of British Columbia.

 

Nuu-chah-nulth chiefs served as practitioners of whaling magic; using rituals and shrines to control whales and lead to a successful hunt. A chief’s ability to effectively hunt and commune with the whales directly impacted his legitimacy within his clan. Whaling magic was passed down through lineages and chiefs were aided by family members in ceremonies. A successful whaling ritual involved the chief practicing self-denial through abstinence from sex and taking on a passive role. It also included the aid of his most senior wife as she “harpooned” him, similar to how a whale is harpooned. Ultimately, these rituals were used to parallel the role in which the whale is viewed in the Nuu-chah-nulth imagination. A fearsome creature, but a vital part of their lives. Similarly, whaling chiefs were viewed in the same way; a person set apart, but with contrasting identities and ultimately serving their people.

 

In sharp contrast with the Iñupiaq, who collectively celebrated and participated in whaling rituals, the chiefs of the Nuu-chah-nulth were an exclusive class who inherited their abilities through a long line of practitioners of whaling magic and the rituals involve very few people. While more emphasis is placed on the physical and spiritual power of the whale by the Nuu-chah-nulth, this power is extended to a special class of individuals and families who act specific components of whaling, similar to the Iñupiaq. The chiefs of the Nuu-chah-nulth not only practice rituals of whaling magic to guarantee sustenance, but to maintain their power and status within their clans and keep themselves set apart from others. It is their ability to effectively perform the role of the whale that creates their identity as chief; mimicking the other helps them know themselves.