Gonakadet or Konakadeit, commonly referred to as the Sea-Wolf, is a mythical creature in the

Tlingit The Tlingit or Lingít ( ) are Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. , they constitute two of the 231 federally recognized List of Alaska Native tribal entities, Tribes of Alaska. Most Tlingit are Alaska Natives; ...

tradition of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. It is also known as Wasgo by the

Haida people The Haida (, , , , ) are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. They constitute one of 203 First Nations in British Columbia and 231 federally recognized List of Alaska Native tribal entities, tribes in Alaska. T ...

. Simultaneously strong, generous and humble, the Sea-Wolf was said to bring great luck and wealth to anyone fortunate enough to spy it or hear its soulful howl. According to artist Herem, Gonakadet myth is found among the

Tsimshian The Tsimshian (; ) are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their communities are mostly in coastal British Columbia in Terrace, British Columbia, Terrace and ...

and

Haida Haida may refer to: Haida people Many uses of the word derive from the name of an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. * Haida people, an Indigenous ethnic group of North America (Canada) ** Council of the Haida Nati ...

peoples of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

and

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

and concerns the story of a sea monster who is a transformed human being. It is a complex and varied story, but the sighting of Gonakadet, either in his monster form or in the form of his splendid undersea house which sometimes rises above the waters, means the acquisition of wealth and good fortune." Gonakadet may have been inspired by Vancouver coastal sea wolves, which are found in the Great Bear Rainforest and in northern Vancouver Island, within the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. The collegiate sports teams of the

University of Alaska Anchorage The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is a public university in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. UAA also administers four community campuses spread across Southcentral Alaska: Kenai Peninsula College, Kodiak College, Matanuska–Susitna C ...

have adopted the Seawolf as their mascot.

References

Sea monsters Tlingit mythology Haida mythology Tsimshian mythology Wolves in folklore, religion and mythology {{NorthAm-myth-stub