Huxwhukwamł (Mask of the Huxwhukw)
Kwakwaka'wakw artist, Huxwhukwamł (Mask of the Huxwhukw), ca. 1940, red cedar, paint, feathers, raffia, and dye, The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection, no known copyright restrictions, 89.52.2
This work is not currently on view.
- Title
Huxwhukwamł (Mask of the Huxwhukw)
- Artist
- Date
ca. 1940
- Medium
red cedar, paint, feathers, raffia, and dye
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
length: 48 in
- Collection Area
Native American Art
- Category
Northwest Coast
Ceremonial and Ritual Objects
- Object Type
mask
- Cultural Group
Kwakwaka'wakw
- Credit Line
The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection
- Accession Number
89.52.2
- Copyright
no known copyright restrictions
- Terms
The huxwhukw, or mythical Raven, represents one of the supernatural associates of Baxwbakwalanuksiwe’, the cannibal spirit, which appears in the form of birdlike masks in the tseyka, or red cedar-bark ceremony. These masks are commissioned as part of the inherited privilege of being a hamat’sa society initiate. The masks and the dances in which they are worn pacify and tame the hamat’sa, who personifies the cannibal spirit and the insatiable nature of life, and who ultimately exhibits the honored behavior of a high-ranking person. The articulated beaks clap dramatically during a performance, accompanied by the dancers’ characteristic cries.
