Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context
Whaling was a central aspect of Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht and Makah culture on the northwest coast of North America. Not only was it economically important, it was vital to chiefly prestige. Art and ceremonial life were dominated by themes related to whaling. Thunderbird, the great supernatural whale...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2019
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959774318000549 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0959774318000549 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0959774318000549 2024-03-03T08:47:42+00:00 Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context McMillan, Alan D. 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959774318000549 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0959774318000549 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Cambridge Archaeological Journal volume 29, issue 2, page 309-326 ISSN 0959-7743 1474-0540 Archeology Cultural Studies Archeology journal-article 2019 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959774318000549 2024-02-08T08:40:12Z Whaling was a central aspect of Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht and Makah culture on the northwest coast of North America. Not only was it economically important, it was vital to chiefly prestige. Art and ceremonial life were dominated by themes related to whaling. Thunderbird, the great supernatural whaler, was the source of hereditary prerogatives held by chiefs, including names, dances, regalia and rights to display images of thunderbird and whale. This paper argues that human observations of predatory behaviour by orcas (or killer whales) led to these animals also being perceived as non-human whalers from which chiefly prerogatives could be obtained. Wolves, the main figures in Nuu-chah-nulth ceremonial life, had the power to transform into orcas, explaining their frequent presence in the art with thunderbirds and whales. This paper presents archaeological evidence for orca in the context of whaling and offers interpretations based on the extensive ethnographic and oral historical records. It also places perceptions of animals, the role of the hunter's wife and beliefs about orca in a broader context involving hunting societies in northwestern North America. Article in Journal/Newspaper Orca Cambridge University Press Thunderbird ENVELOPE(-128.637,-128.637,54.450,54.450) Cambridge Archaeological Journal 29 2 309 326 |
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Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Archeology Cultural Studies Archeology |
spellingShingle |
Archeology Cultural Studies Archeology McMillan, Alan D. Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context |
topic_facet |
Archeology Cultural Studies Archeology |
description |
Whaling was a central aspect of Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht and Makah culture on the northwest coast of North America. Not only was it economically important, it was vital to chiefly prestige. Art and ceremonial life were dominated by themes related to whaling. Thunderbird, the great supernatural whaler, was the source of hereditary prerogatives held by chiefs, including names, dances, regalia and rights to display images of thunderbird and whale. This paper argues that human observations of predatory behaviour by orcas (or killer whales) led to these animals also being perceived as non-human whalers from which chiefly prerogatives could be obtained. Wolves, the main figures in Nuu-chah-nulth ceremonial life, had the power to transform into orcas, explaining their frequent presence in the art with thunderbirds and whales. This paper presents archaeological evidence for orca in the context of whaling and offers interpretations based on the extensive ethnographic and oral historical records. It also places perceptions of animals, the role of the hunter's wife and beliefs about orca in a broader context involving hunting societies in northwestern North America. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McMillan, Alan D. |
author_facet |
McMillan, Alan D. |
author_sort |
McMillan, Alan D. |
title |
Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context |
title_short |
Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context |
title_full |
Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context |
title_fullStr |
Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context |
title_full_unstemmed |
Non-Human Whalers in Nuu-chah-nulth Art and Ritual: Reappraising Orca in Archaeological Context |
title_sort |
non-human whalers in nuu-chah-nulth art and ritual: reappraising orca in archaeological context |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959774318000549 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0959774318000549 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-128.637,-128.637,54.450,54.450) |
geographic |
Thunderbird |
geographic_facet |
Thunderbird |
genre |
Orca |
genre_facet |
Orca |
op_source |
Cambridge Archaeological Journal volume 29, issue 2, page 309-326 ISSN 0959-7743 1474-0540 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959774318000549 |
container_title |
Cambridge Archaeological Journal |
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29 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
309 |
op_container_end_page |
326 |
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1792503948648644608 |