Photo Gallery

The Atlakin mask dance plays an important role in the ceremonial life of the Kwakiutl. Atlakim beings are forest spirits of the most diverse appearance. Their chief is Xamsalilala. He is the first to appear and summons the other 39 spirits, one after the other, into the ceremonial hall. This Xamsalilala mask, also shown on the dust jacket, was carved in the 1940s by the famous chief and artist Willie Seaweed (1873-1967), a Nakoaktok Kwakiutl from Blunden Harbor, located on the mainland opposite Port Hardy. Bill Holm dedicated an exhibition and a book with the. title "Smoky Top" (Vulkan) to this famous chief and artist. (27 cm, MOA, A6088)
MOA = Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Ceremonial paddle with raven painting on it, carved out of yellow cedar, made by Tlingit artist Reggie B. Peterson as part of his apprenticeship. The handle is modelled on a soul catcher used by the shamans. (88 cm, ICC)
ICC = Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, Sitka

Haida ceremonial hammer. The soft stone is carved in the shape of a hawk with a whale in its beak. It is fastened to the wooden handle with cedar bark thongs. (68 cm; NMM)
NMM = National Museum of Man, Ottawa

Especially impressive as examples of the art of mask making are the crown-like frontlets of the northern coastal people. A chief would wear one of these decorative headpieces during the dance to welcome his guests. The mask shown depicts what is presumably an eagle, below which is a human face. The mask is made of hardwood, haliotis, sea lion whiskers and eagle down; "fringe" is of ermine skins. (Mask 19 cm, extender 85 ern, SJM)
SJM = Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka

The upper end of a talking stick, which was held by a chief on ceremonial occasions; with wolfs head and haliotis inlays. (166 cm, SJM)
SJM = Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka

Rattles also belonged to the insignia of a chief. This old raven rattle has two special features: First, a human face is carved onto the upright tail feathers and, second, the tiny human figure is holding two large mountain goat horns. (35 cm; MOA; A5254)
MOA = Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

The artist Nathan P. Jackson models the frontlet of his own raven moiety and a ceremonial button blanket. He carved the mask himself. Button blankets are considered the cheaper version of the Chilkat blanket. They are made of recut Hudson's Bay blankets and decorated with haliotis buttons. Visible in the background are the Tongass Narrows near Ketchikan.

This frontlet, from the Niska-Tsimshian village of Greenville located on the Nass River, shows a crouching bear. It is inlaid with colorful haliotis. (19 cm, MOA, A6810)
MOA = Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

The shamans of the Northwest Coast utilized charms in their healing ceremonies. They were usually carved of bone or ivory in the form of a guardian spirit. The charms were either sewn on to clothing or worn around the neck. These little pelicari figurines, attached to one another with a leather thong, form a rare charm which is considered to be quite old. It is made of bone and decorated with haliotis inlays. It was collected from the Tsimshian during the last century. (7 cm; NMM)
NMM = National Museum of Man, Ottawa

Another shaman charm, which was collected fully 100 years ago from the Niska on the Nass River. Carved of bone, it represents a salmon. (9 cm, NMM)
NMM = National Museum of Man, Ottawa

This drinking vessel is carved out of the tusk of a walrus and decorated with haliotis shell. The partially visible figure is probably an anthropomorphic bear. The cup originated in the same region as the salmon charm described above. (14 cm; NMM)
NMM = National Museum of Man, Ottawa

The Tsimshian may have been the first to make raven dance rattles. This example represents a widely disseminated model: On the back of a raven sits a man whose tongue is being pulled out by a frog, which is, in turn, being seized by a kingfisher. The underside of the rattle shows a hawk. "Underside" is incorrect insofar as this was the side which was on top when a chief held the rattle in his hand. (28 cm, ASM)
ASM = Alaska State Museum, Juneau

A Haida chiefs speaker's staff. An eagle, a raven with pointed ears and a wolf can be identified on the stick. By gesturing with the staff the speaker could emphasize certain words or sentences. (92 cm, VM)
VM = Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

Tlingit warriors were reputed to be fearless in close fighting. This bone dagger with a raven head may be 200 years old. (38 cm; SNHP)
SNHP = Sitka National Historical Park, Sitka

Wooden bowl for ceremonial use in the shape of a raven lying down with a hawk's head protruding from its tail feathers. (32 cm; MM)
MM = McCord Museum, McGill University, Montreal

In this bentwood box, measuring only 32 cm (13 inches), a Haisla shaman from Kitamaat stored his utensils. The lid is decorated with opercula, the "plugs" of a sea snail shell. (MOA)
MOA = Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

This soul catcher, representing the two-headed sea monster Sisiutl, belonged to a Haisla shaman from Kitlope, located on the Gardner Canal. If the shaman was successful in recovering the patient's lost soul during the healing ritual, he would keep it in the body of the small human figure, whose head is removable, and return it to the patient. (16 cm; MOA)
MOA = Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

A wooden shaman figure with human hair, earrings made of animal teeth and a leather apron. The figure, which represents a shaman singing and shaking rattles, is assumed to have been carved by a Tlingit shaman more than 100 years ago. (30 cm, SJM)
SJM = Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka

The rattle of a Niska shaman from Gitlakdamix on the Nass River. Both sides are decorated with relief carvings. The reclining figure in the middle is surrounded by fur figures with spread arms and legs. (30 cm: NMM)
NMM = National Museum of Man, Ottawa

Charm of a Chilkat Tlingit shaman. Made of bone, it is carved in the shape of a sea monster with its offspring underneath its belly and a cuttlefish behind it. (13 cm, SJM)
SJM = Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka

A hamatsa bird mask with movable beak. This monster raven serves Bakhbakwalanooksiwey, the cannibalistic creature of the north. Carved by Mungo Martin, one of the best-known artists and chiefs of the Fort Rupert Kwakiutl, (103 cm, MOA)
MOA = Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver