Thunderbird: A Symbol of Strength, Power and Nobility

The Thunderbird has been one of the most dominant icons in Native American art and legends. The Thunderbird is one of the few cross-cultural characters in Native American mythology since it is found in legends of Pacific Northwest, Plains, and Northeastern tribes.

The Native Indians of the Pacific Northwest Coast always lived along the shores and never ventured inland to the mountains. Legend has it that the Thunderbird, a mighty God in the form of a giant, supernatural bird lives in the mountains. The Quileute tribe of Washington state considered a cave on Mount Olympus as the home of the Thunderbird while the Coast Salish believed it is located on the Black Tusk peak in British Columbia. It is thought that the Thunderbird never wants anyone to come near its home. If Native hunters get too close, the Thunderbird will smell them and make a thunder sound by flapping its wings. It would also roll ice out of its cave and down the mountain with chunks breaking up into many smaller pieces.

Some tribes such as the Kwakwaka’wakw believe that their people once made a deal with the Thunderbird for its help during a food crisis and in return, the tribe agreed to honor the Thunderbird for all time by making its image prominent in their Northwest Native American art. This is why West Coast art totem poles are often carved with Thunderbirds with outstretched wings at the top.

The wingspan of the Thunderbird was described to be twice as long as a Native Indian war canoe. Underneath its wings are lightning snakes which the Thunderbird uses as weapons. Lightning is created when the Thunderbird throws these lighting snakes or when he blinks his eyes that glow like fire. Sometimes these lightning snakes are depicted in Native American art as having wolf or dog-like heads with serpent tongues. They are occasionally referred to as the Thunderbird’s dogs.