This is a beautiful conversation with Joe Martin, who is also known by his traditional name Tutakwisnapšiƛ.

We speak about his work as a master canoe and totem pole carver, and role as an elder in his community. Joe is a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation living in Tofino, Vancouver Island, and has carved over seventy canoes made from ancient trees. He has sparked a revitalization of this ancient art form in his own community and among neighboring nations in the Pacific Northwest.

In our talk, Joe describes how indigenous totem poles serve as visual living texts of natural laws of the land. He shares outlines of the learnings that are handed down in his tradition, from the land to grandparents to children. We learn about the teachings of the wolf, why bears are related to women’s puberty rituals, and how animals show us to only take what we need, and not for our greed.

Episode Website Link: lifeworld.earth/episodes/indigenousviewjoemartin

Show Links:

• Film: The Canoe Maker
• Book: Making a Chaputs, The Teachings and Responsibilities of a Canoe Maker
• BC Achievement Award, Joe Martin
• Joe’s Facebook page

Look out for meditations, poems, readings, and other snippets of inspiration in between episodes.

Music: Electric Ethnicity by Igor Dvorkin, Duncan Pittock, Ellie Kidd

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