At Greenpeace Canada, we love celebrating the creativity and passion of our incredible community. This month, we’re thrilled to shine a light on one of Greenpeace Canada’s Photo Contest winners, Jack Adamson, whose image captured not only the beauty of nature but also the essence of a deeply personal story and a beautiful poem.

When Jack submitted their photo, we were immediately captivated by its vivid colors, emotional depth, and stunning composition. But what made this entry truly remarkable was its story—a tale of connection, reflection, and the power of nature to inspire and heal.

Here’s the story behind the photo (in the words of the photographer): 

This is Staqeya, the Lone Wolf of Discovery Island, carved by good friend and artist Kent Laforme.

Sacred to the local indigenous tribes, Staqeya was tragically shot and killed by a hunter not long after he swam back to the mainland. The void in this sculpture points directly toward Discovery Island where the Lone Wolf once roamed, and for me, represents the bullet that ultimately killed the wolf.

I photographed this sculpture that stands at Cattle Point the morning of its unveiling, and as luck would have it, the sun peered directly through the void that very morning, which happens only twice a year.

It was captured through 3 exposures, and manually blended together to accentuate the magnificent lighting that magical morning.

I share the following poem about Staqeya written by my mother-in-law.  

STAQEYA FROM TL’CHES, STILL WITH US, RELEASED FROM STONE

By Linda Rogers, former Poet Laureate of Victoria

There is a woman who lives

alone in the forest and bathes

at night, when Moon rises

over the ocean, where every

evening Staqeya, the lone

wolf, mindful eater of fish

brains, stalks her, following

her from island to island, his

soul transformed by desire

for the sister who is born

knowing Mother Star is the

portal inviting us home.

She has caught many rides

on Staqeya’s back, his mighty

lungs blowing open doors

in the sky every time the little

suns come out to dance.

It is hubris to murder the living

incarnation of spirit, but soul

survives, swims through every

element: fire, air, water, until

it feels the Earth move again.

Every wild woman who sings

to the rivers, every sculptor

who carves stone, and every

photographer knows that

marble is rock enduring, and

wolves who howl at night are

immortals released through

portals where animus waits to

emerge from apertures of light.

We hope you enjoyed learning the story behind this stunning winning photo and loved it as much as we did. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from our amazing supporters!