Supernatural Wolf and Killer Whale Drum

Regular price $945.00 CAD

This Transformation of Supernatural Wolf into Killer Whale Drum is by Kwagu’ł artist Calvin Hunt. The drum has a killer whale and wolf design in green and black acrylic.

The drum measures 16 inches or nearly 41 cm across and about 2 1/2 inches or 7cm wide. Materials: Wood, elk hide, and acrylic paint.

Calvin Hunt’s 16-inch drum of painted elk hide depicts the transformation of two supernatural beings central to Nuu-chah-nulth thought and ritual practice. Calvin’s familiarity with these cultural traditions comes through his mother Maxwalaogwa, Emma Hunt. She was the Nuu-chah-nulth daughter of the great Mowochaht Chief and Shaman, Dr. Billy from Yuquot, Friendly Cove. With this heritage, Calvin Hunt's Mowachaht name is Hereditary Chief Nas’a̱m’yus.

Calvin Hunt’s drum design reflects an ancient Nuu-chah-nulth oral tradition of the transformation of a supernatural white Wolf who enters the sea and becomes the first Killer Whale. In some stories, the Orca’s supernatural power allows it to move onto the land and transform into Wolf. The Nuu-chah-nulth translate Ka-ka-win-chealth as “supernatural white Wolf transforming into a Killer Whale.”

On this drum, Calvin Hunt rendered the Killer Whale in dominant green formlines. The whale’s massive head and toothed mouth lunges to the right as the animal breaches the black waves shown on the drum’s upper rim. The whale’s mighty breath explodes in front of its tall dorsal fin. Inside the whale’s body, Calvin Hunt has depicted Wolf in black formlines with the animal’s characteristic long snout, large nostrils, toothed mouth, tall ears, and long tail that curves next to the whale’s bifurcated tail. The wolf’s front and back legs with their clawed paws seem to push through the whale’s body, anticipating the very moment of transforming into a Killer Whale.

Many Northwest Coast First Nations have supernatural Killer Whales or Orcas as important beings in their stories and beliefs. As ancestors, these powerful marine mammals are sometimes regarded as the reincarnation of chiefs. Many nations recount how the whales have a human personification and the ability to transform from human to animal form. In Nuu-chah-nulth winter ceremonials, high-ranking individuals may be initiated in the Klukwana or Wolf ritual that passes on inherited privileges of dances, titles, and names.

According to the Nuu-chah-nulth, Orcas and Wolves share fundamental characteristics: both are half white and half black, are known and admired for their communication skills and wisdom as well as for their hunting prowess, are family-oriented, and travel in socially cohesive groups often led by an alpha female.

Unless otherwise indicated above, the price for this item includes shipping to Canada and the continental USA. Please email us at info@spiritsofthewestcoast.com for a quote to have the item shipped outside continental North America.

Shipping Information

We ship internationally!

Free shipping on most items within Canada and the U.S.

The Shipping times mentioned below are estimates for orders that we have in our inventory and are not guaranteed . Shipping to the USA or other international locations may be delayed due to national customs organizations. These delays are not included in the shipping estimates mentioned and are out of our control.

If you have a specific shipping / delivery deadline, please call or email us, to make sure we have the item that you would like to order in stock.

Custom orders or orders for items that we don’t have in our inventory, or don’t have the exact size in stock, will take longer. It usually takes 2 – 4 weeks depending on the individual item and artist, to have individual items carved. Custom orders may take somewhat longer.

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Regular Shipping:

We usually use Canada Post services without tracking information for our regular shipping option. The delivery standards for surface/air shipping are usually 2 - 9 business days (Canada), 5 - 12 business days (USA), 6 - 35 business days (Europe) and 6-35 business days to the other continents. If your shipping address is remote, delivery times may increase. These delivery standards are estimates and are not guaranteed.

Canada Post International Parcel Surface or Priority Worldwide Express Shipments:

If you would like to find a faster priority / express shipping service, than the ones mentioned in the shopping cart, or if shipping times are less important than the cost, please contact us for a custom shipping quote. Delivery dates mentioned below are approximations that do not include delays due to International Customs or unforeseen circumstances. The delivery standards for Priority™ Worldwide( Usually through FedEx ) are usually 2-3 business days (USA), 3-5 business days (Europe) and 4-6 business days to the other continents. The delivery standards for International Parcel Surface can be up to 7 weeks. If your shipping address is remote, delivery times may increase. These delivery standards are estimates and are not guaranteed.

Canada Post shipping services with tracking numbers can be tracked at the following website: http://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/track/personal/findByTrackNumber?execution=e1s1