Plaque - Orca

Orca (Maxinux), 2026
Quinn James, Kwakwaka'wakw
Yellow cedar and manila rope
38.5" diameter, 1.5" thick

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"This piece reflects the whale not only as a symbol, but as a living connection between worlds.
In Kwakwaka’wakw belief, whales are protectors and messengers. Oral history tells of a time when a whale warned an elder on Village Island of approaching danger, allowing the community to prepare and survive.
There is also a deeper understanding: those who are lost to the ocean are not gone—they return as whales. This belief is reinforced through lived experience, as whales are often present during ocean ceremonies, especially when ashes are spread.
To own this piece is to hold a story of protection, transformation, and continuity—where the line between human and animal no longer exists." - Quinn James