THE CHILKAT DANCING BLANKET. SAMUEL, CHERYL, 1982, Publisher: PACIFIC SEARCH PRESS. SEATTLE. PRIMITIVE ART. BOAS, FRANZ, 1951, Publisher: CAPITAL PUBLISHING COMPANY THE CHILKAT BLANKET. EMMONS, GEORGE T. MEMOIRS, 3, 1907 THE DECORATIVE ART OF THE INDIANS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC COAST. BOAS, FRANZ BULLETIN, 9, 1897

Small, square swamp grass basket (a) with flat, fitted lid (b); lid features a central button type handle. Basket and lid are decorated with multicoloured, encircling bands of linear patterning in red, green, yellow and purple. Base: checker work. Sides: wrapped twined weave with folded warp border (lid done in four sections).

Two halves (parts a and b) of a longitudinal, bottle-shaped, brown wood piece that is circular in cross section with a tapering neck. Bound together near the base with bark (part c).

Spirit of the Ancestors-Spectacular sea-monster masks are part of the Kwakwaka'wakw Tlasula ceremony. Masked dancers impersonating supernatural beings enter the big house in firelight, dramatizing an encounter and declaring the high status of the family presenting the dance. This sea monster can spout water through the float at the top of its head by the dancer blowing on a plastic hose and water container concealed inside the mask.

The paint is black, red, and green.

The paint is black, blue, red, yellow, and white.

Spirit of the Ancestors-The dancer cocks the Kolus head to one side, slowly sweeping its piercing eye across the house, then tilts and reverses his swing as the song describes the Kolus, calling it Screecher Mask. - Bill Holm

The paint is dark green, light green, and red.