Mask Item Number: A6132 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden, crooked beak mask. The beak has red spilt u-shaped nostrils outlined with black u-forms that are inlayed with rectangular shaped abalone shell. Running from the brow is a central frill that protrudes outward and curves inward to the centre tip of the beak; detailed with black u-forms and inlayed abalone shell. The mouth is red, flat and protruding; bottom part of jaw is hinged with rectangular pieces of rubber. The face is black with white detailing. The eyes are black, inlayed with abalone, outlined in white and red on a white, ovoid shaped ground; brow is black and inlayed with square pieces of abalone. The inside of the mask is hollow with the exception of twisted twine pieces through the lower beak. Attached to the top ridge is a red and white twisted rope along with short, bundles of cedar stripes; longer cedar strips in the middle. The mask is painted black, white and red with Northwest Coast stylized forms.
History Of Use
Worn by Hamats!a dancer.
Cultural Context
ceremonial
Iconographic Meaning
Represents Crooked Beak of Heaven, Galugwadzawe', one of the servants of Baxwbakwalanuxsiwe': cannibal at the north end of the world.
Narrative
This mask came to Joe Seaweed from his wife's family who is from Gilford Island (J. Seaweed, 1966).
Item History
- Made by Johnny Nolie (Maker) in British Columbia, Canada before 1953
- Collected in Blunden Harbour, British Columbia, Canada and Ba'as, British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Joe Seaweed before July 7, 1953
- Received from H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and Joe Seaweed (Seller) on July 7, 1953
What
- Name
- Mask
- Identification Number
- A6132
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- wood, abalone shell, cedar bark, cotton fibre, fibre, paint, metal and synthetic rubber
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved, nailed, painted and inlaid
- Overall
- height 21.4 cm, width 21.8 cm, depth 56.7 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Creator
- Johnny Nolie (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- Joe Seaweed
- Received from
- H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and Joe Seaweed (Seller)
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 July 7, 1953
- Acquisition Date
- on July 7, 1953
Other
- Condition
- good
- Current Location
- Case 35
- Accession Number
- 1965/0002