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MYTHICAL BEINGS AND CRESTS

HILUNGA, THE THUNDERBIRD

References’:
Plate 3%, Figure 6. House Front Painting. Kwakiutl.
Plate 8, Figure 2. "Hilunga," the Thunderbird. Haida.
Plate le, Figures 2 and 4. Spinning Whorls. Salish.
Plate 15, Figure e. Chief's Carved Club. Nootkan.

Figure 4. Ceremonial Screen. Nootkan.

Legends dealing with the mythical Thunderbird are perhaps
those most widely dispersed across the North American continent,
variations being found among the majority of Indian tribes.
Possibly this fact may account in part for the fact that the
mystical origin of this famous bird, when in use as a crest of
the Tsimsyan Tribe for.example, does not present so defined a
legendary origin as do many others deriving from a far distant
past. In his references to this whole subject of Crestal sources
Dr. Barbeau suggests that the Thunderbird might be a derivative
of the "Bird-of-the-Air" which according to the Skawah myth (see
p. 51) was among the emblems brought down from the sky by the
ancestors of the Sky Clan of the Gitksans of the Upper Skeena
River. In any case it frequently appears as a crest among the
members of this clan and appears also among crests of various
clans of the Fireweed Phratry, by whom its employment as a mask
in their dramatic performances has been noted. J. R. Swanton
draws attention to the fact that little thought was given to
this fabulous bird by the Haida and suggests as a possible cause
the rarity of thunder storms in that area.

The prominence assigned to it was greatest among the Nootka
people with whom "Tootooch," this mighty, supernatural being,
was believed to dwell aloft and far away. The flap of his gigan-
tic wings caused thunger (Tootah), and his tongue or the flashing
of his eyes resulted in lightning. His food consisted of whales.
When hungry he put on a garment of a bird's head, an immense pair
of wings and a feather covering for his body. Round his waist he
tied the Haietlik, or Lightning Snake, of which the head was
sharp as a knife and its red tongue shot fire. Thus arrayed he
sailed over the ocean till sighting a whale he darted the
Lightning Snake down into its body, inflicting injuries which al-
lowed him to seize his victim and carry it off to his retreat in
the highest mountains.