Dance Screen

Item number A3773 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

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

Large off-white cotton curtain with black painted design. The curtain is made from three pieces of fabric sewn together, creating long horizontal seams. The design is a thunderbird motif with outspread wings.

History Of Use

Large cotton sheets painted with the Tsetseka spirit of the dancing house replaced earlier painted cedar plank walls. Each dancing house had its own spirit-painted curtain which was used as a screen to close off the rear part of the house, providing a space for masks and other ceremonial objects to be placed in readiness for the dancers. This space was strictly forbidden to uninitiated people.

Cultural Context

ceremonial

Specific Techniques

The commercial cotton fabric is painted black, either with water pigment, mud and charcoal, or commercial paint.

Iconographic Meaning

Thunderbird is one of the supernatural birds of the ancestor myths: the parent of many children who became chiefs of lineages. The flapping of his wings causes crashes of thunder, and lightning flashes from his eyes. He is so enormous that he fishes for killer whales as though they were small fish. He is is represented with supernatural horns curving from his head.