feb 17, 1880 - Transformation mask
Wood, paint and string
Kwakwaka’wakw, Northwest coast of Canada
The tribes of the northwest coast were animistic; they associated the animals with spirits. A raven was considered powerful yet also as a trickster; here, it is conveyed on the outside of the human face. This mask would be used during a potlatch ceremony, in which tribes would purge their belongings and overindulge in order to show their wealth and power.
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