Masks

Bukwus Mask
Corey Larocque (Haida)

Known from the stories of the Kwakwaka’wakw people, Bookwus (Wild Man of the Woods) is a supernat...

Known from the stories of the Kwakwaka’wakw people, Bookwus (Wild Man of the Woods) is a supernatural being who lurks on the edges of forests and near streams trying to lure living people and the souls of those who have drowned into his invisible abode. Also known as the Keeper of Drowned Souls, Bookwus forces his victims to eat his ghost food, which causes them to become like him, condemned to eternal hunger and wandering. When danced, Bookwus emits a low wheezing sound which is made by the ...

Female Portrait Mask
Chief Walter Harris (Gitxsan)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions. In oral trad...

Male Portrait Mask
Chief Walter Harris (Gitxsan)

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are...

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions. In oral trad...