Gift of Appleton Sturgis

Museum Collection Fund

Painted, wooden figure of Christ on the Cross with the Sacred Heart of Christ at his feet and painted cherub faces at each end of the horizontal bar of the cross.

A polychrome figure (bulto) of Saint Joseph set on a thick wooden base in a frontal pose with one foot in front of the other. He is dressed in a black short-sleeve robe with a red V-neck collar. A yellow cape with a step-shaped border is draped diagonally over the figure's torso. The skin has a yellow pallor and the eyes are painted white with large black pupils. Three floral motifs are painted on the front of the base. Smaller three-pronged motifs embellish the top surface. There is overall gesso and paint loss on the piece and fabric can be seen under the gesso on the back and sides of the base and cape. The entire left forearm has been broken and is missing.

Museum Expedition 1904, Museum Collection Fund

This Kachina possibly represents Hetsululu. This Kachina was so poor he did not have any jewelry, clothes, or moccasins so Hemokatsiki-the grandmother of all Kachinas - rolled some clay into a nice shape and put it on top of his mask. He was then painted in stripes of all the colors used by the Kachinas so he would represent the world. Sometimes he appears barefooted but this doll has been dressed in an additional manner with the high boots. Hetsululu was sent to the village to play a game with the villagers with clay balls. He is considered friendly and now may appear with the mixed dances carrying a bucket of clay balls. Everyone believes that his clay increases rapidly so when he throws clay balls from his bucket they catch them and put them with their corn or bread so that they may also increase.

Object is a ball-headed war club. Linear curves of upper handle and ball-head carved with scallop shapes that are decorated with black paint. Beveled edges of handle are painted red. Ball and handle are ornamented with burned file decorations. Condition is good.

Museum Expedition 1903, Museum Collection Fund

This kachina doll has a fur and feather headdress and fur ruff around his neck. A lone feather sticks straight up on top of the headdress. Under the fur collar he wears a black, cotton kerchief. His cotton skirt has a painted design and sash. His boots have been painted on and topped with tarn ties. Ties are also on his wrists. He is one of several that were commissioned.

The object is also referred to as a war club. Its head is a large elongated rectangular stone that is inserted into a carved wooden handle. The handle has three faces, one on the top and the second and third on either side of the ax head. These faces have three rows of hair in small "ponytails" protruding from the ridge above the eyebrows. One of the hair "ponytails" has been cut off, leaving a stump of frayed hair sticking up on the proper left top side of the face. The underside of the handle has a carved seal and midway along the handle is a filled break. The object is painted black with white and red accents. There are inlayed areas of abalone shell around the base of the handle, the sides of the head, and in the eyes and teeth of the faces. The only missing shell inlay is from the base of the handle. The overall condition of the piece is fair and stable. According to Robin K. Wright, Burke Museum, 4/16/03, the face looks more Bella Bella (Heiltsuk).