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This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

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

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