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!