Spirit Dance Staff Item Number: 3259/53 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Rattle type wooden staff, adorned with deer hooves at the proximal end. Staff is rounded, carved at pommel with a small face, sharp teeth bared in a wide grin, nose flat and slightly protruding. Head comes to a small, round peak. Dozens of deer hooves have been tied to short lengths of hide and attached to the top, under the face, with long wraps of hide.
History Of Use
Alternately referred to as a dance rattle, or dance baton. Elmendorf notes that amongst the southern Coast Salish: "this type of rattle consisted of several deer hoofs strung together, bunched. Several of these might be attached to a pole or held in the hand and shaken. Deer-hoof bunches were never attached to drums or other rattles. The deer-hoof rattle was especially used at spirit dances, principally in dancing the types of powers called qwa'xq for which deer-hoof bunches were attached to poles (1960:223)."
Cultural Context
ceremonial; spirit dance
Narrative
Donor noted this staff as coming from the Heye Foundation, Museum of the American Indian, New York.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Margaret Hess before September 28, 2017
- Received from Margaret Hess (Donor) on September 28, 2017
What
- Name
- Spirit Dance Staff
- Identification Number
- 3259/53
- Type of Item
- staff
- Material
- wood, deer hoof and rawhide skin
- Overall
- height 118.0 cm, diameter 18.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Coast Salish
- Previous Owner
- Margaret Hess
- Received from
- Margaret Hess (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before September 28, 2017
- Acquisition Date
- on September 28, 2017
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3259/0053