Mask Item Number: A8237 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Large round mask with slightly raised eyes. Upwardly curved mouth. The nose area has many small holes around it. Cloth hood nailed to the mask to fit over the wearer's head. Painted in colours of red, black, white and green.

History Of Use

Used in the Bumblebee dance, which is a children's dance and is often one of the first dances a child participates in during the Winter Ceremonial among the Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw. In the dance, a father and mother bee lead progressively smaller bees out onto the dance floor one by one. When the children are led back into their 'beehive' at the end of the dance one child is discovered to be missing. The father bee circles the floor four times searching for this lost child. On the fourth round the child is found hidden amongst the spectators and is led home.

Narrative

Danced in a potlatch given by Alec Nelson, Kingcome Inlet, 1938 (D. Hawkins, 1966).

Iconographic Meaning

Represents a bumblebee.

Item History

What

Name
Mask
Identification Number
A8237
Type of Item
mask
Material
fibre, wood, paint and metal
Manufacturing Technique
carved, nailed, painted and bored
Overall
height 12.5 in, width 10.0 in, depth 12.5 in

Who

Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw
Creator
Dick Hawkins (Maker) and Samuel Hawkins (Technician)
Previous Owner
Charlie Willie and Canadian Cabin Crafts
Received from
Canadian Cabin Crafts (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
British Columbia, Canada
Collected in
Kingcome Inlet, British Columbia, Canada and Ukwanalis, British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
during 1938
Collection Date
during 1962
Ownership Date
before November 1962
Acquisition Date
during November 1962

Other

Condition
fair
Current Location
Case 40
Accession Number
0087/0001