Mask Item Number: A3789 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Large, carved, wooden, raven hamatsa mask with a long beak and an ovoid shaped ridge for a nose. The beak is hinged with pieces of rubber nailed to either side. The beak is painted black with a red mouth and circular cutout nostrils. At the back of the mouth are two s-shapes. Around the nose is a red ovoid and U-forms. The eyes are white, outlined in black on a white, ovoid shaped background; brow is black. The inside of the mask is hollow with the exception of twine used to open and close the beak along with a fibre head ring. The top, side and bottom edges of the mask are lined with braided cedar. The top has short pieces of cedar creating a fringe, while the back has longer strips that hang over the wearer. The underside of the mouth is painted black with a small white design. The mask is painted black, red, and white with Northwest Coast stylized designs.

History Of Use

Worn by Hamats!a dancer.

Cultural Context

ceremonial

Iconographic Meaning

Represents Huxhukw of heaven: Huxhugwaxtawe', one of the servants of Baxbakwalamuxsiw', cannibal at the north end of the world. See Boas, 1895, Fig. 78, p. 449.

Item History

What

Name
Mask
Identification Number
A3789
Type of Item
mask
Material
wood, cedar bark, paint, fibre, rubber and metal
Manufacturing Technique
carved and painted
Overall
height 101.5 cm, width 34.7 cm, depth 134.3 cm

Who

Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw
Creator
Dick Price (Maker)
Previous Owner
James Knox
Received from
James Knox (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
British Columbia, Canada
Collected in
Fort Rupert, British Columbia, Canada and Tsaxis, British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
before 1936
Ownership Date
before April 1952
Acquisition Date
during April 1952

Other

Condition
good
Current Location
Case 35
Accession Number
1858/0001