You may not know this, only a handful do, but on the coasts of Portugal, the North Island of New Zealand and on the Big Island of Hawaii, I am know NOT as The Noisy Plume, but as The Whale Rider.
I sing their song; I braid barnacles in my hair. When I swim the ocean I leap from the waters, for the sake of pure joy, to flash my wet skin in the sunlight. I drum the rhythms of my heart on the surface of the sea. I sing out to the ones I love and when I feel the dark depths of sadness, I consider launching my body out onto the sand to protest the woes of the world. I am The Whale Rider. They carry me on the broadness of their backs and I carry them in my soul. And always, we remind each other to stay humble and live righteous. For simply put, our job as humans is to remember our size in the universe and to live virtuously in our world.
Sing it.
Sing it.
Sing those words.
Emblazon them on your heart strings
and pluck a song of glad tidings.
stay humble live righteous
It’s a simple lesson. Teach it to all you know.
The Humpback Whale Belt Buckle.
Inspired by the humpbacks I saw launching their titan bodies from the sea while
in Hawaii recently. I tried to write about how they made me feel, but I failed, miserably with ink and paper. So I formed those feelings into something tangible with the help of silver and pearls. Whales are such fine citizens of Earth.
I’m inspired by them. I laughed for their antics. I cried for them.
I clapped for them and I listened to their whale song.
Together we sat and swam in silence.
They’ll carry me through. I know it. And they’ll be:
…a teardrop that hangs inside my soul forever…
[Jeff Buckley]
Until I see them again, with salt spray stinging my core, and the sun in
my hair, I’ll wear the memory of them around my hips.
Now THAT'S a whale of a buckle! Aren't they fascinating creatures…so magnificent and wondrous.
Looking at those photos I remembered a Marc Chagall quote of weighty proportions:
"When I finished a [painting] I hold some God-made object up to it – a rock, a flower, the branch of a tree or my own hand – as I final test. If the [painting] stands up beside a thing man cannot make, then the [painting] is authentic. If there is a clash between the two, then it's bad art."
That feat of silver slung across your hips (right where is belongs) is authentic.
Welcome back to the silver my friend.
Absolutely beautiful! A wonderful treasure (and reminder) to bring into the New Year.
In my Mother's house where I lived during high school, the whales, literally, swam through the backyard. The sound of blowing whales woke me up to go school. The house now belongs to someone else, I hope they stop and listen and run to the edge of the cliff as I did.
Thank you for the reminders…
Andrea
(Newfoundland Whales have an accent)
Left speachless, with love in my heart for you and your art, I am!
M
truly sublime!
Oh, my goodness. I am in awe of this lovely creation. I am so happy you kept this beauty for yourself, as it is a part of you.
…I have special memories of the humpbacks in Prince Rupert, BC
xo
well…that's even more amazing than i imagined, and you know how incredible i think your talents are. but WOW jilly. really WOW. the pearls are the perfect touch, a perfect accent to the barnacles and the beautiful beastie himself. and yeah, he belongs best about your hips 😉
xoxo
j
i love the Whale Rider story.
… and your buckle is the most beautiful homage to them!!
Hot damn, whale rider!
humpback whale, pearls, words of wisdom, on a gorgeous slab of silver-belt-buckle-goodness!
phew, oh so beautifully amazing.
zillion kudos.
What glorious pieces of work, you wordsmith, you silversmith, you. I love how you capture and express the very essences of life!
…HUGE smile…on my face right now…HUGE…
A movingly lovely post…and I agree with the other wise ladies who are so very gladdened that you kept this creation for yourself. I LOVE the movie, Whale Rider'…it's amazing, and tells such a tale—of a young woman rising—to the challenge…to her heritage…in a world and a tradition that had always been only for boys—becoming men.
You are—indeed a whale rider…
Ahhhh—yes.
Gasp!
A completely AUDIBLE and overwhelming GASP!
Cute… and a beautiful buckle : )
Amazing, does not even do it justice.
Only you could do such justice to the beautiful beast….WOWZERS!! Thanks for another wonderful, heart tugging blog you little whale rider – I love it!!! Hugs, Sal
I think this calls for a whale brooch.
I'm on it sister. I'm on it.
gorgeous!
well done!
🙂
Loving the bubbles on there! When pen & paper fail always try your torch! Should be a new mantra for the world 🙂
I keep coming back to look at this – and to see all the lovely comments, too, I must admit. Both are beautiful.
Thanks for all the whale love. You're my favorite people.
Ooohhhhhhhwahhhhhhwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee……
(That's whale for: I love you.)