Faculty of Design

Illustration

Gillian Goulet

Loons

In many Canadian Indigenous communities, the loon is valued for helping shamans connect with the spirit world. The loon acts as a valued spirit animal to assist the shaman in reaching the lower world, often compared to the subconscious, because of its extraordinary diving abilities. The loon too is often thought of having a connection with shamans because of its bright red eyes, as many shamans are recognized partly by their powerful stares. Embedded in this illustration too is a story that comes from the Ojibwa culture, where the loon dives down to the bottom of the lake to pick up mud which is then thrown and creates the first land.