This chalk pastel painting is the image of a true story of a ritual made to pray for rain. Many years ago on Cortes Island the rains did not come and the salmon were circling and circling in the sea, waiting to come into the rivers to spawn, but there was not enough water to bring them home.
Myself and two other women spent a day pounding on an ancient stone on the Cortes shore, calling the rain to come and help the salmon. Earlier I had been given a Heron's wing by someone who just left it in my living room, with no note of explanation. Since I understand that the Heron is the sentinel of well being in these waters--we burned the wing so that its breath could rise to the clouds and call the rain.
We danced in the smoke and cinders until two porpoise came close to the shore and in their spouting breaths we understood that our call would be answered. And a few days later, the rains came.
