Frontlet Item Number: A6322 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Frontlet featuring a large, three-dimensional bird's head with two smaller heads, one on top and another at the bottom. The bird and the lower face have mirror inlaid eyes. Upper head has abalone shell inlaid eyes. Abalone shell and mirror pieces decorate the border. Painted red, black, green and blue. A cap-like headpiece of red felt with a patterned white and grey top is attached to the back of the frontlet. Remnants of quills attached to the cap behind the frontlet are still visible.
History Of Use
Among the Kwakwa̠ka̠’wakw, a frontlet or forehead mask like this is known as a pak̠iwe’. Its name changes to ya̠x̠wiwe’ (“dancing on the forehead”) when it is part of the full headdress — including a cylindrical crown with sea-lion whiskers at the top and an ermine-skin trailer — that is featured in the T’ła’sa̠la or Peace Dances (also known as the Dluwa̠lax̠a or Returned-from-Heaven Dances).
Narrative
Nuxalk style frontlet.
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 December 22, 1953
- Received from Tom Johnson (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) on December 22, 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 December 22, 1953
- Acquisition Date
- on December 22, 1953
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 41
- Accession Number
- 2018/0002