Mask Item Number: A4018 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden, crooked beak mask. The beak has red circular nostrils with a row of three orange split u-forms behind it. Running from the brow is a small central black frill that protrudes outward then curves downwards to the top, middle of the beak. The mouth is red, flat, wide and protruding; behind are four incised white and black u-forms. The underside of the beak is black. The bottom parts of the beak are hinged with rectangular pieces of rubber. The eyes are black, outlined in white and red on a white ovoid shaped ground; around the eye are small u-forms, behind it is an orange split u-form. The brow is black. The inside of the mask is hollow with the exception of pieces of fibre twine that articulates the beak. The top and edges are covered in small bundles of cedar bark that is intermixed with small pieces of eagle down. The mask is painted black, white, red and orange 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 Baxbakwalanuxsiwe', cannibal at the north end of the world.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada before 1953
- Collected in Blunden Harbour, British Columbia, Canada and Ba'as, British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Tom Johnson before April 28, 1953
- Received from Tom Johnson (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) on April 28, 1953
What
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Previous Owner
- Tom Johnson
- Received from
- Tom Johnson (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- Blunden Harbour, British Columbia, Canada and Ba'as, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1953
- Ownership Date
- before April 28, 1953
- Acquisition Date
- on April 28, 1953
Other
- Condition
- good
- Current Location
- Case 37
- Accession Number
- 2017/0001