Thunder Mask Item Number: 3547/1 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Thunder mask. Wooden humanoid mask, with bulbous forehead and pronounced brows. Deep-set eyes, with edges carved in relief, are over a large hooked nose, with wide oval-shaped nostrils. Nose extends over open mouth with two rows of bared teeth; rounded chin juts out below mouth. Trigons are carved into cheeks; ovoids done in relief overtop of brows. Forehead and chin are painted black; brows, nose and cheeks are painted dark blue. Ovoids, trigons and nostrils are done in red; teeth are done in silver. Brows, nose and eyes are highlighted with silver. Additional silver decoration painted along bottom corners of mouth, extending down chin. Both dark blue and silver paint have a metallic sheen. Holes drilled into sides and along top edge of mask, for attachments. Back of mask is hollowed out. Holes in mask for eyes, nostrils and mouth.
The following comments were given during a community visit (2022): the top is missing an attachment that would have “clapped” when the wearer moved; the sections that are now grey would have been black (teeth, above red on nose); and the dark blue areas would have originally been a deep sea blue.