Carved head of a bird. Probably part of a headdress or staff.

Museum Expedition 1905, Museum Collection Fund

This kachina wears feathers on his head, a short loin cloth and tall boots.

The object, a dance shield, is one of a pair commissioned by Culin for the Museum. The difference between the two is that this shield has a painted, pale red sun with light blue stars and the other (03.325.3505) has a pale blue sun with light red stars.

Crow Mother (Angwusnasomtake) Kachina Doll. Female figure carved from one piece of cottonwood root she leans slightly forward and holds both arms out carrying a bundle of sticks. Her headdress is large and dramatic with rayed feathers on either side of a bright blue helmet style mask with slender blue horns. The front of the mask has a large upside down, black triangle with a smaller one under it. Across the top and down the sides of the mask is a braided yellow and red yarn. There is a fur ruff around her neck. She wears a long dress made from cotton and trimmed with red and green yarn with a white braided yarn sash. She has a white, canvas mantle around her back and wears carved white boots. Crow Mother performs many roles and functions. She participates in the initiation blessings of children 10 - 15 years old, guides the whipper (punishment) Kachinas who are considered to be her children. Aggressive in temperament she is very active insuring that she will get attention and that her messages about the importance of the Kachina culture will be heard by the initiates. She appears during the Powamuya- purification ceremonies in February. Note the Kachina is portrayed by a man.

Roughly modeled duck (center in photo) with tool marks still visble. Pointed beak and tail are represented by pinching; eyes by small indentations. Clay is reddish brown.

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Francis T. Christy

Gift of Adelaide Goan

This rattle or paddle has eight carved walrus along it attached with ivory pegs to the wand so one is missing. This style of ivory tusk carving was done in response to the trade market where carvers quickly invented the form of carving tusks. The concept of small animals attached along the length was purely to appeal to this market, although the Inupiaq had a long artistic tradition of small, singular figures and carved fish lures for their own use.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund