Gentle waves

Gentle waves rolled upon the rocky shore.

Children playing

Beyond reach, children raced in ageless games of youth, laughing they spent the long days summer lent them.

Wanaya's watch

Each morning Wanaya awoke to watch his younger brother Wishy paddle away, he could not understand why his brother preferred foolish whales to time playing with him and the other children.

Why do whales love the sea?

As summer's days wore shorter, Wishy knew that winters approach meant time with the whales would end for another year. Wish wondered if he was the only one to ever wish to be a whale. His curiosity could not rest, he needed to know why whales loved the sea.

Among the whales

Far from the busy shore, in the plentiful waters of summer whales splashed, Wishy paddled among the whales with fluid motion, watching and listening he felt a part of their games.

Despite pressure to leave what most thought foolish, Wishy persisted each day with renewed hope, a hope kept constant by faith that he would learn everything he could about whales.

Map making

"Why do whales love the sea?"

Drifting in thought, he left the rolling waters to build the plan slowly spilling into his head. Soon he could see the path he must follow.

Shifting icepack

Before sunrise, while everyone slept Wishy began the journey that would lead him into waters he had never paddled. Wishy was uncertain, he only knew the way from stories told during the dark of night, his trip to find Grandfather was going to be a trip unlike any he had made before.

Past polar bear point

Early morning passed through to noon, the late summer sun rose weakly into the sky and winding through the shifting icepack walruses stirred diving to deep and dark waters below. Steady Wishy carried from point to point always careful not to attract hungry polar bears.

Waiting grandfather

Wishy continued on as the sun began to slide below the waters. Exhausted and frightened he wondered what to do. In the growing darkness he noticed the ice beginning to clear. With a small promise of land and a new found strength he looked to the distant shore and to his waiting Grandfather.

Fire light

Feeling anxious, Wishy wanted to ask his Grandfather why whales loved the sea, but he hesitated. Seeing his grandfather it was easy to doubt his plan, would he be able to tell Wishy why whales loved the sea?

That night, wrapped in in the dark blanket of night Wishy gazed into their small fire. With food and rest his exhaustion began to fade, replaced with excitement.

Whale guide

Wishy filled his mind with thoughts of the whales, he paddled through his knowledge of the whales and finding his strength to ask his grandfather, he was prepared for Wishy's question and after a long time his grandfather spoke.

The instructions he gave would guide Wishy to the sacred waters of the whales and it was there he would have to ask for the whales tail. If he understood the signs he would know the tale.

Grandfather sea

At first light Wishy glided into the water and headed for the sacred waters, he had not paddled far when familiar sounds and forms surrounded him. As instructed Wishy patiently waited for the whales to gather, he asked why whales loved the sea and then informed them he wished for the whales tail.

Similar to you

It was his Grandfather that spoke.

For generations, whales lived along the shores of the sea. Our lives were similar to yours today, we relied on the ocean for our survival and we made our home beside it.

Hunters arrival

Then one day, Man arrived at the edge of our lands, escaping the hunters our only choice was to flee to the mountains, here we were scattered and starving. We knew we could not survive the cold and that our freedom lay in the open waters man traveled across.

Beyond the hunters

We gathered when the spring arrived. Passing through the crowded lands we journeyed back to the shore. There we remembered the sea and could see that our future and our freedom lay in the open waters. We dove into the waters and knew immediately that land was not where we belonged.

Our return

To keep the memory of our journey alive, we return to the surface for air. We do this to view the land that was once our home. Rising, we remember the mountains. When we return to the waiting waters, our freedom returns. We slap our tails on the water so that our story rolls upon the shore and so that we never forget.