The Mowachaht Maquinna Whaler

The first residents of Nooka Sound on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada were the Mowachaht and Muchalaht people who had a rich existence and culture based in whaling and river fishing. The first Europeans to have sustained contact with British Columbia¹s coastal native people were Captain James Cook and his crew on the H.M.S. Resolution and H.M.S. Discovery.

At Yuquot (Friendly Cove), Captain James Cook and his crew met Chief Maquinna on March 31, 1778. Maquinna was the most influential leader and a high-ranking chief of the Mowachaht and Muchalaht people. Maquinna and the Mowachaht people were the first to exploit the resources of the sea otters and grew to be a powerful and prosperous force on the coast.

The Mowachaht Maquinna Whaler was modeled from historical drawings of Chief Maquinna and cast in fine quality, hand tinted porcelain by artist Leasa Robson. The Maquinna Whaler features hand sculpted and painted facial features, glass eyes and natural hair. The Maquinna Whaler features an authentic hand woven cedar bark whaler¹s regalia woven by Nuu-chah-nulth weaver Alice Sam. The regalia is finely detailed with sinew ties and bone beads. The Maquinna Whalers Hat features exquisite detailing in the potlatch finial and in the intricately woven whaling scene, which is interwoven into the hat¹s design. The Maquinna hat was only worn by the whale hunters and is identified with Chief Maquinna who wore this style of hat. In addition, the Whaler is holding a hand carved Yew Wood Harpoon carved by Chief Dixon Sam, which has an attached hand woven cedar bark rope. This Harpoon can be exchanged for a custom designed hand carved Yew Wood Whaler's Paddle.