Crooked Beak Mask | Heyliwey Item Number: 25.0/209 from the The Burke: University of Washington
Exhibit Label
Masks worn in the taming of the hamatsa vary widely in size. At just over one foot in length, this crooked beak mask is among the smaller masks. It may be an example of a type called heyhliwey, a small forehead mask worn by the hamatsa himself or his female attendant during his last, tame dance. However, because the jaw is hinged and controlled with a cord suggests that it was intended to be used in the humsumala or cannibal mask dance. The short snout, simple painting, and the form of the nostril are characteristic of hamatsa masks made around the turn of the century. (Holm, Crooked Beak of Heaven, 1972)
Automatically Generated From Material
The paint is red, black, and white.
Automatically Generated From Technique
The bark is shredded.
Item History
- Received from Mrs. Anne Gerber
What
- Name
- Crooked Beak Mask | Heyliwey
- Identification Number
- 25.0/209
- Type of Item
- crooked beak mask and heyliwey
- Material
- wood, cedar bark, paint and cord
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved, painted and shredded
- Overall
- length 13.0 in
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Received from
- Mrs. Anne Gerber
Where
- Holding Institution
- The Burke: University of Washington
Other
- Credit
- Sidney Gerber Collection, Gift of Anne Gerber
- Motif
- Heyliwey
- Collection
- Burke Museum Ethnology Collection