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Description

Wooden globular shamanic rattle, carved and painted with an animal's face on one side and more-abstracted elements of the animal's body on the other side. [CAK 04/06/2009]

Longer Description

Wooden globular shamanic rattle, carved and painted with an animal's face on one side and more-abstracted elements of the animal's body on the other side. The rattle is carved in two halves, and joined together with two iron nails in the handle and sinew or hide ties on the sides and base of the handle. The handle is thin and plainly carved. The body of the rattle is much larger, rounded and has been hollowed out. One half of the body is decorated with an abstract design on the top portion, plus the face of an anima l-- possibly a bear -- including black and red ears, black eyebrows, black eyes, black fur, red rounded nostrils or snout connected to a red mouth, with unpainted teeth visible and a red tongue protruding out of the mouth. Following the contours of the face from cheek to jowl are black bent forearms with black paws and red circles at the "wrist". There are perforations in each nostril, at the corners of the mouth, pupils, above the eyebrows and around the ears. The reverse of side of the rattle has red and black abstract designs on the top which may depict facial features. Two curving lines of red and black designs bisect the reverse side and join in the middle of the rattle, continuing downward to form what may be the animal's tail. Two lines of red, conjoined circles also bisect this side and join in the middle. Black hind legs and paws with red "ankles" are visible at the bottom. The reverse half has a crack running from the top of the rattle downwards which has been repaired (locally) with small wooden pegs and sinew(?). There are a number of small perforations on the reverse of the rattle as well. Pellets, stones, or seeds(?) have been placed inside the rattle to create sound when shaken. [CAK 04/06/2009]

Display History

Previously on display in the Music Makers Gallery at the Balfour Building, 60 Banbury Road. Removed when gallery dismantled in May 2007. Old display label 'N. W. AMERICA, HAIDA Rattle carved from a solid piece of wood cut in half, hollowed out and tied together with hide thongs. One side is carved into a bear's face. Used by Shamen's. d.d. Wellcome Hist. Med. Mus. 1951.2.14' [MdeA 30/5/2007]

Primary Documentation

Accession Book Entry - WELLCOME HISTORICAL MEDICAL MUSEUM, 28 PORTMAN SQUARE, LONDON, W.1...1951.2.14 N. W. AMERICA. HAIDA (probably). Rattle used by shamans and secret societies (c.f. Swanton, Jesup North Pacific Expedition vol. Pl. ). Of two hollowed pieces of pegged together with wooden pegs at handle and ties with skin thongs. Carved with animal's face and totemic designs painted black and red on natural ground. Length 28.6 cm. width (max.) 13.3 cm. (oval shape). Contains pellets.
Added Accession Book Entry - 'These objects are labelled 'Gift of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum' in accordance with the wish of the donors. v. letter from the Director, Dr. E. Ashworth Underwood, 30 Jan. 1951 (in pocket)'. [Now in RDF GI 4/2/2002]

Card Catalogue Entry - N.W. AMERICA, HAIDA (PROBABLY) Rattle used by shamans and secret societies. Of two hollowed pieces pegged together with wooden pegs at handle and tied with skin thongs. Carved with animals face and totemic designs painted black and red in natural ground. Contains pellets. Gift of the Wellcome History Medical Museum

PRM display - N.W. AMERICA. HAIDA Rattle carved from a solid piece of wood cut in half, hollowed out and tied together with hide thongs. One side is carved into a bear's face. Used by Shamans. d.d. Wellcome Hist. Med. Mus. 1951.2.14

Pitt Rivers Museum round metal-edged label - N.W. AMERICA Probably HAIDA, shaman's rattle. [written on otherside] Gift of the Wellcome Hist-ical/ Medical Museum. 1951.2.14 [ZM 08/05/2008]

Related Documents File - Letter from E. Ashworth Underwood [Director, The Wellcome Historical Medical Museum] to T. K. Penniman dated 30 January, 1951, inviting the Pitt Rivers Museum to send a representative to select items from the Wellcome collection, housed temporarily at the British Museum. [GI 4/2/2002]

Related Documents File - The Haida Project Related Documents File contains video of research sessions and interviews with Haida delegates from September 2009 as part of the project ‘Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge'. It also includes post-visit communications that discuss object provenance. For extensive photographic, video, and textual records documenting the Haida research visit as a whole, including but not limited to preparations of objects for handling, travel logistics, British Museum participation, transcribed notes from research sessions and associated public events held at PRM, see the Haida Project Digital Archive, stored with the Accessions Registers. Original hand-written notes taken during research sessions have been accessioned into the Manuscripts collection, in addition to select other materials. [CAK 02/06/2010]

Research Notes

The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum's collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge”:
This rattle was viewed alongside other musical instruments on Thursday Sept 14, 2009. Delegates identified this as a shaman's rattle. Gwaai Edenshaw explained the iconography as a grizzly bear with a large ruff, but only a little tail, that is either bleeding or has its spine exposed near the handle of the rattle. He also identified Kuugin Jaad (Mouse Woman) in the design, and possibly a bird. He thought the rattle looked as if it was made quickly. Other delegates identified the central figure as a black bear, and again thought the vertebrae were visible (the small circular shapes), and possibly also the ribs of the animal (the S-shapes). Another delegate thought the design on the reverse of the rattle was a bird of prey, though they also interpreted the S-shapes as the ribs of the creature. One delegate thought the rattle included an octopus design. It was noted that this is a very full, or big, and heavy rattle. It was noted that shamanic designs can often look quite different from standard Haida designs. Delegates requested shamanic material not be on display. Christian White provided the Haida word for a shaman's rattle, recorded as sounding like 'sluuguu.' [CAK 19/05/2010]

Item History

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