Mask Item Number: A5299 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden crooked beak headdress, or mask. The beak has large red circular shaped nostrils with a red band outlining it. Running from the brow is a large central black frill that protrudes outward and curves downwards to the centre of the beak; decorated with white detailing, black and white cutout u-forms and s-shape. The mouth is red, flat and protruding. The underside of the beak is black. The bottom parts of the beak are hinged with rectangular pieces of leather. The eyes are black, outlined in white and red on a white ovoid shaped ground; brow is black. The inside of the mask is hollow with the exception of pieces of fibre twine that articulates the beak. The top has small bundles of small stripes of cedar bark. Hanging from the back are long strips of bark. The mask is painted black, white and red with Northwest Coast stylized forms.
History Of Use
Worn by female attendant, hiligaxste', in taming Hamats!a dancer.
Cultural Context
ceremonial
Iconographic Meaning
Represents Crooked Beak of Heaven, Gugwze'or Galugwadzawe, one of the servants of Cannibal at the North End of the World, Baxbakwalanuksiwe'.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Walter C. Koerner before 1972
- Received from Walter C. Koerner (Donor) during 1972
What
- Name
- Mask
- Identification Number
- A5299
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- cedar bark, wood, fibre, paint, leather skin and metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved and painted
- Overall
- height 57.3 cm, width 30.2 cm, depth 74.8 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Previous Owner
- Walter C. Koerner
- Received from
- Walter C. Koerner (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before 1972
- Acquisition Date
- during 1972
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 35
- Accession Number
- 0160/0050