mask (dance & live theatre)

This mask, probably of red cedar, is carved with the bold volumes and sharp edges characteristic of the southern Northwest Coast, and especially of the Kwakwaka'wakw and Nuxalk. It was probably carved circa 1850 - 1920, and is a good example of a hawk mask. It is a crest mask, representing a chief's privilege and not a shaman's helper spirit. It is decorated with black and red pigment.

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database sometimes uses language taken from historical documents to help research, which may now appear outdated and even offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

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