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Nan

Bear Mask with Bear Claws

Grizzly Bear dancers are the most feared helpers of the Hamat´sa secret society. Their role is to keep order in the house and punish all people who break the protocols of the T´seka Sacred Red Cedar Bark Dance. The full costume includes a bearskin or a wool blanket and dancers also wear cedar bark head and neck rings. These claws were made from whale rib bones.

Owner

Mask: Hiłamas, "Captain John" Speck, Ławit´sis (Turnour Island)

Bear Claws: T´łakwa, Sam Scow, ’Namgis (Alert Bay)

Creator

Mask: Lalakanx'id, Johnny Davis (‘Nak´waxda’xw) (attributed)

More Information

The Kwakwaka’wakw have two different grizzly bear dance societies. The higher ranking is the Nan Baxwbakwalanuksiwe' - Grizzly Bear of Baxwbakwalanuksiwe' - and the second is the ordinary Nan Grizzly Bear Dance. Grizzly Bear dancers are the most feared helpers of the Hamat´sa. Their role is to keep order in the house and punish all people who break the protocols of the T´seka Sacred Red Cedar Bark Dance. The full costume includes a bearskin or a wool blanket and dancers also wear cedar bark head and neck rings. The song and movements of the grizzly evoke the terror brought about by such a dangerous and powerful animal. The dance consists of violent motions of the body, and the dancer will growl and scratch the ground with his claws. The grizzly bear dancer always wears claws. These claws (UCC 80.01.125a-b) are finely carved from whale bones. The claws are linked together with an iron rod which passes through holes drilled near the base of each claw.

Catalogue Information

Materials

Mask: Wood, Cedar; Skin, Bear; Paint; Fibre, Cotton; Metal, Iron

Bear Claws: Bone, Whale; Metal, Iron; Fibre

Dimensions

Mask: 46.0 cm x 55.0 cm x 72.0 cm

Bear Claw A: 18.0 cm

Bear Claw B: 20.0 cm

Accession Number

Mask: 80.01.022

Bear Claws: 80.01.125a-b

Physical Description

Mask: Carved from several pieces of red cedar. The main part of the head is made in two halves, dowelled and nailed together. The lower jaw is hinged at the back with leather straps. It was manipulated by means of a length of string (now broken). The ears are made separately and dowelled to the head. Double rows of teeth carved from yellow cedar are nailed into the lower jaw. Strips of hide (originally with fur attached) are nailed to the top, back and underside. A harness of split twigs covered in sacking is lashed to the back of the mask with wire. Miscellaneous pieces of rope and string are tied to the harness. The carving is painted overall in black, red, green, white and an indeterminate mixture of these colours with a pale blue.

Bear Claw A: VII.E.499 The five ‘claws’ are carved out of whale’s bone. They are well shaped and finely finished. They are linked together by an iron rod, which passes through holes drilled near the base of each claw. Each claw is nailed at the base end to a bar of wood, which is cut in a bow-shape. A short length of heavy rope is tied around the bar in two places to serve as hand grip. There are fragmentary pieces of string tied around the middle claw, and a short length of wire is looped through the base of the claws.

Bear Claw B: VII.E.500 The five ‘claws’ are carved out of whale’s bone. They are well shaped and finely finished. They are linked together by an iron rod, which passes through holes drilled near the base of each claw. Each claw is nailed at the base end to a bar of wood. A double length of heavy rope is tied around the bar in two places to form a short loop (a hand grip). It is bound with string in the middle. Fragments of strings are tied around one end of the claw, and a strip of cloth tied around the other end.