Mask Item Number: A4167 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Carved wooden, crooked beak mask. The beak has large red elongated, cutout nostrils with a two incised white s-shapes on top. Running from the brow is a long central black frill that protrudes outward then curves downwards to the top, tip of the beak. The mouth is red, flat, wide and protruding. The underside of the beak is black with a black, white and red face carved in relief. The bottom parts of the beak are hinged with rectangular pieces of leather. The eyes are black, outlined in white and black on a white ovoid shaped ground; 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 sides have small bundles and a braid of cedar; few tufts of eagle down intermixed. There is a long metal strip that runs along the top of the head. The mask is painted black, white and red with Northwest Coast stylized forms.

History Of Use

Worn by Hamats!a dancer.

Iconographic Meaning

Galox (M. Martin, 1952). Represents Crooked Beak of Heaven, Galugwadzawe', one of the servants of Baxbakwalanuksiwe', Cannibal at the north end of the world.

Item History

What

Name
Mask
Identification Number
A4167
Type of Item
mask
Material
wood, leather skin, cedar bark, fibre, paint, metal and eagle down feather
Manufacturing Technique
carved, hinged, nailed and painted
Overall
height 30.6 cm, width 25.7 cm, depth 79.8 cm

Who

Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw
Creator
Chief George (Maker)
Previous Owner
Chief Harry Mountain
Received from
H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and Chief Harry Mountain (Seller)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
British Columbia, Canada
Collected in
Village Island, British Columbia, Canada and 'Mimkwamlis, British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
before 1952
Ownership Date
before November 17, 1952
Acquisition Date
on November 17, 1952

Other

Condition
fair
Accession Number
2006/0014