Gw'educ is the name for orcas or killer whales in the language of the Kwakwaka'wakw people, who are Indigenous Peoples from the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. The Kwakwaka'wakw have a rich cultural heritage that includes a deep spiritual connection to the natural world, including the sea and the creatures that inhabit it. Orcas are highly revered in Kwakwaka'wakw culture and are considered to be powerful and intelligent beings.
The name gw'educ means "the people under the water" and reflects the Kwakwaka'wakw belief that orcas are not just animals, but are beings with their own society and way of life. In Kwakwaka'wakw mythology, orcas are often associated with transformation and are believed to have the power to change humans into killer whales and back again. — chatGPT