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The Brooklyn Museum

Collections: Arts of the Americas




Baleen Whale Mask

Baleen Whale Mask. British Columbia, Canada. Kwakwaka'wakw artist, 19th century. Cedar wood, hide, cotton cord, hide, nails, pigment, 23 5/8 x 28 1/2 x 81 1/8 in. (60 x 72.4 x 206 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1908, Museum Collection Fund, 08.491.8901

This mask would probably have been worn by a Kwakwaka'wakw chief during the Winter Ceremonies to demonstrate prestige and treasures from the sea. With the heavy mask over his head, bent back, and a drape disguising his feet, the dancer would have manipulated interior cords controlling the mask's fins, mouth, and tail to mimic swimming and diving. The privilege of performing with a mask is inherited along with its related stories. These privileges are passed down through generations, and the whale dance is still performed today.

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