Mask Item Number: A1783 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden Tanis mask painted black and composed of two heads, one on top of the other. The bottom head is smaller, without a jaw; jagged natural wood coloured teeth are edged in red. The nose curves up to form the brows above bulging eyes in deep red orbits detailed in red. The upper head has a large hooked nose, faced in nailed on metal; bared teeth, detailed in red with remnants of white. The deep-set ovoid eyes have central holes rimmed in red then white. The left eye has a house-shaped pane of glass and the right eye has a series of holes above.
Narrative
Raley catalogue (1934): "Kitlope. Cannibal mask for Tannise dancers." [Also, see notes for A1782 and A1784.] C.M. Barbeau (1939) described the mask as: "Hamatsa mask from Gardner's Inlet; part of a group of 3." (From Barbeau photo notes, in the Archives at the Canadian Museum of History.)
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada before 1897
- Collected in Kitlope, British Columbia, Canada during 1897
- Owned by George Henry Raley before November 1948
- Received from H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George Henry Raley (Seller) during November 1948
What
- Name
- Mask
- Identification Number
- A1783
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- metal, cinnabar mineral, graphite mineral, glass and yellow cedar wood ?
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved, inlaid and painted
- Overall
- height 42.0 cm, width 24.0 cm, depth 26.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Haisla
- Previous Owner
- George Henry Raley
- Received from
- H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George Henry Raley (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- Kitlope, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1897
- Collection Date
- during 1897
- Ownership Date
- before November 1948
- Acquisition Date
- during November 1948
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 1960/0188