Dance Knife Item Number: Nb3.1300 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Warrior dance knife, or baton in the form of Sisiutl. A long thin downward curving wood piece with a central frontal head and a profile head on either side. The profile heads at either side have scales along their backs with long upward curving protruding tongues. The central frontal head has two upward and outward curling horn-like appendage at the top, and each profile head on either side has another upward and backward curling horn-like appendage at the top. Painted black and red.
History Of Use
Assistant to Winalagilis, the war spirit, this mythological creature was dangerous, powerful, and impervious to human weaponry. Sisiutl always appears with two serpent-like heads at each end of the body, which is represented by a face. Carried as a wand by the War dancer. Could also have descended from the ceiling on invisible strings during the War Dance (M. Bronsden).
Iconographic Meaning
Sisiutl was a double-headed serpent or lightning snake who was an assistant to Winalagalis, the War Spirit.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Walter C. Koerner before April 8, 1976
- Received from Walter C. Koerner (Donor) on April 8, 1976
What
- Name
- Dance Knife
- Identification Number
- Nb3.1300
- Type of Item
- knife
- Material
- cedar wood and paint
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved and painted
- Overall
- height 25.0 cm, width 152.0 cm, depth 3.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Previous Owner
- Walter C. Koerner
- Received from
- Walter C. Koerner (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before April 8, 1976
- Acquisition Date
- on April 8, 1976
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0336/0014