Carpenter Mask Item Number: 51 from the The Burke: University of Washington
Exhibit Label
This set of four masks represents the supernatural brothers who were created at the beginning of time by the supreme spirit, Ahlkuntam, and given the task of ordering the world. These and other supernatural beings were honored in the Nuxalk Winter ceremonial, called Kusuit, comparable to the Kwakwaka'wakw Tseyka. The oldest and most powerful brother was named Yula'timot (He Who Completes Any Task with a Single Smoothing Motion) and is credited with creating fire. The second brother brought rain and was called Ma Lapa'litsek (He Who Completes Any Task with a Single Stroke of His Adze). The Creator of trees, MaL'ape'exoek (He Who Completes Any Task with Two Strokes of His Adze) was the third brother. IL'iLu'lak (He Who Completes Any Task in a Single Day), the fourth brother, created the world.
Automatically Generated From Material
The paint is blue, red, and black.
Item History
- Received from Washington World's Fair Commission
What
- Name
- Carpenter Mask
- Identification Number
- 51
- Type of Item
- carpenter mask
- Material
- wood and paint
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved and painted
- Overall
- height 9.8 in, width 8.0 in, depth 4.7 in
Who
- Culture
- Nuxalk
- Received from
- Washington World's Fair Commission
Where
- Holding Institution
- The Burke: University of Washington
Other
- Credit
- Gift of Washington World's Fair Commission
- Motif
- Mellapilichuk
- Collection
- Burke Museum Ethnology Collection