Mask

Item number A3789 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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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.