Mask Item Number: A3814 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Carved wooden, crooked beak headdress, or mask. The beak has large red and white ovoid shaped nostrils with a red and white split u form on one side. Running from the brow is a large central black frill that protrudes outward and curves inwards to underneath the centre of the beak. The mouth is red, flat and protruding. The underside of the beak is black with white detailing; beak is nailed shut. The eyes are black, outlined in white and black on a green ovoid shaped ground; brow is black. There are black and white u-shaped feathers behind the eye. The inside of the mask is hollow with the exception of a thin ring of cedar used by the wearer. Attached at the top are small bundles of small stripes of cedar bark. Hanging from the back are long strips of bark. Lining the top, side and bottom is a twisted braid of cedar. The mask is painted black, white and red with Northwest Coast stylized forms.

History Of Use

Worn by Hamats!a dancer.

Iconographic Meaning

Represents Crooked Beak of Heaven, Galugwadzawe', one of the servants of Baxwbakwalanuxsie', cannibal at the north end of the world.

Cultural Context

ceremonial

Item History

What

Name
Mask
Identification Number
A3814
Type of Item
mask
Material
wood, metal, fibre, cedar bark, paint and dye
Manufacturing Technique
carved, painted, nailed and bored
Overall
height 32.8 cm, width 23.8 cm, depth 64.3 cm

Who

Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw
Creator
Dick Price (Maker)
Previous Owner
James Knox
Received from
James Knox (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
British Columbia, Canada
Collected in
Fort Rupert, British Columbia, Canada and Tsaxis, British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
before 1936
Ownership Date
before April 1952
Acquisition Date
during April 1952

Other

Condition
fair
Current Location
Case 35
Accession Number
1858/0012