Mask Item Number: A7479 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden, crooked beak headdress, or mask. The beak has large red, triangular shaped nostrils outlined with a black and white s-form. Running from the brow is a small central black frill that protrudes outward and curves inward to the centre tip of the beak and back into itself; decorated with white semi-circles. The mouth is red, flat and protruding. The bottom parts of the beaks are hinged with rectangular pieces of leather. The face is black with white detailing. The eyes are black and large, outlined in white and red on a white ovoid shaped ground; brow is black. The underside of the beak is black. The inside of the mask is hollow with the exception of a piece of fibre twine that helped articulate the beak. Attached to the top edge is a twist rope of red and white fabric. The top has many bundles of small stripes of cedar bark. Hanging from the back and bottom edges are long strips of cedar that would cover the wearer. The mask is painted black, white and red with Northwest Coast stylized forms.
History Of Use
Worn by female attendant, hiligaxtse', in taming Hamats!a dancer.
Iconographic Meaning
Represents Crooked Beak of Heaven, Galugwadzawe', one of the servants of Baxbakwalanuxsiwe', cannibal at the north end of the world.
Narrative
Collected by E.F. Meade during field trip to several Kwakwaka'wakw villages.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada before 1961
- Collected in Gilford Island, British Columbia, Canada and Gwa'yasdam's, British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Edward F. Meade before May 1961
- Received from H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and Edward F. Meade (Seller) during May 1961
What
- Name
- Mask
- Identification Number
- A7479
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- wood, fibre, cotton fibre, cedar bark, paint, leather skin and metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved, hinged, nailed and painted
- Overall
- height 70.8 cm, width 25.3 cm, depth 56.4 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Previous Owner
- Edward F. Meade
- Received from
- H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and Edward F. Meade (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- Gilford Island, British Columbia, Canada and Gwa'yasdam's, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1961
- Ownership Date
- before May 1961
- Acquisition Date
- during May 1961
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0049/0009