Wooden Mask

Item number E129509-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

From card: "Boas had put the name :"Bilhula" on this mask. Name: "Satlpata" also has been applied. A wooden mask with a movable jaw, front part painted graphite grey, with red accentuations. Top of head and underneath part of jaw hung with long strings of cedar bark. Nose part comes out in an open loop. Refer to: USNM Report, 1895, fig. 200, p. 650."Clyde Tallio (Nuxalk) of the delegation from Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Rivers Inlet communities of British Columbia made the following comments during the Recovering Voices Community Research Visit May 20th - 24th, 2013. This mask is used as part of the the man-eater dance society. I've never seen caps like this for Bella Coola masks, most of the masks are strapped right to the back. This mask was worn by initiates.