Mask Item Number: A3553 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Mask with a scalloped edge, slightly raised eyes, a bird's beak as a nose, a mouth with slightly downturned corners, and two long, slightly tapering ears with rounded ends that protrude up from the top sides of the head. Above the head are a series of triangular pieces of wood arranged in a semicircle and attached together at the outside edge with a strip of leather. The wood pieces are controlled by strings at the outside corners that can be used to pull the triangles down to form rays around the outside edge of the mask. The mask is painted white with black details on the scalloped edge, red and black designs on the forehead, black eyebrows, green around the eyes and on the nose, red nostrils, black dashed lines, scallops, and a curvilinear line on each cheek, a black scalloped moustache and chin beard, and red lips. The triangles above the head are painted white with designs in red and black that form a uniform design when the triangles are closed to form their overall crescent shape.

Iconographic Meaning

Represents the Sun: Tlh!isa

Narrative

According to Charlie George, in 1966, this was last used at Gilford Island in 1918.

Item History

What

Name
Mask
Identification Number
A3553
Type of Item
mask
Material
wood, leather skin, fibre, paint and metal
Manufacturing Technique
carved, bored, nailed and painted
Overall
height 64.0 cm, width 49.0 cm, depth 34.0 cm

Who

Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw
Creator
Arthur Shaughnessy (Maker)
Previous Owner
Tom Patch Wamiss
Received from
H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and Tom Patch Wamiss (Seller)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
British Columbia, Canada
Collected in
Kingcome Inlet, British Columbia, Canada and Ukwanalis, British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
before 1918
Ownership Date
before January 1951
Acquisition Date
during January 1952

Other

Condition
fair
Accession Number
1898/0002