B.C. First Nations to honour orca said to embody late chief's spirit
Luna believed dead after run-in with tugboat's prop
VANCOUVER - First Nations will hold a memorial service today for Luna the killer whale, who was killed last week by a tugboat's propellers.
The service will be held on the waters of Nootka Sound, which became the orca's adopted home.
Natives, who believe Luna embodies the spirit of their late chief Ambrose Maquinna, will hold a goodbye for everyone who knew him, Federal Fisheries officer Ed Thorburn said yesterday.
"The Mowachaht-Muchalaht band is holding a passing ceremony into the next world," Mr. Thorburn said.
Luna spent the past five years off Gold Creek, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, after wandering away from his pod off Washington state.
Members of the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation believe Luna was the reincarnation of chief Maquinna, who had predicted he would return as a killer whale. Shortly after the chief passed away, Luna appeared.
The playful, black-and-white orca became a tourist attraction, media celebrity and the focus of a tug of war between fisheries officers and natives.
The officers wanted him returned to Washington state and First Nations members desired close ties to their chief's spirit. The band was paid $48,000 last year by the federal government to monitor the whale's position.
Six-year-old Luna was "healthy," about five metres long and weighed 1.4 tonnes. His life was cut short; he hadn't even reached whale puberty.
"Normally killer whales can live to be 40 or 50 years old," Mr. Thorburn said. "He would have become very active at eight and sexually mature at 11 years."
He said it will be a sad memorial.
"I don't know what I'll be thinking. It will be my own little moment of reflection" said Mr. Thorburn, who spent five years monitoring the wayward whale's progress. "It was quite a special thing which didn't turn out the way I hoped."
Experts said Luna missed the social contact common in pods. He bumped passing boats, causing damage and alarming sailors.
On Feb. 21, he was cut by propellers from a pleasure boat.
"Luna was becoming more casual about props. I was afraid something would happen, but I didn't think it would be the end. Luna made one mistake," Mr. Thorburn said.
As the memorial gets underway today, Luna's remains are being sent to Vancouver for positive identification and DNA tests.
"There's no doubt in my mind. It was Luna," Mr. Thorburn said. "The American tug was weathering a storm in Luna's home bay. The boat's captain was familiar with Luna and didn't expect anything to happen."
He said an investigation should be launched into the way the situation was handled.
"The department has a responsibility to answer questions," he said. "It didn't have to happen. If he had been in his own pod, more than likely they would have tried to modify his behaviour."
Source: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news ... 3e&k=22053
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