Atłak´ima
Dance of the Forest Spirits Mask
Owner
T´sandigan ’Nage’, Harry Mountain, Mamalilikala (Village Island)
Creator
Mungo Martin
Catalogue Information
Materials
Wood, Red Cedar; Paint
Dimensions
34.0 cm
Accession Number
80.01.031
Physical Description
Atłak´ima Mask recorded as belonging to Harry Mountain from the Mamalilikala. The mask is carved from one piece of red cedar and whitewashed and unfinished. It could have been made in haste for a potlatch and was not completed in time for the dance and was worn as is. However, there are no harness attachments to indicate that it was ever worn. The mask is very full and round in shape; it is bold in structure and along with the thickness of the eyebrows, suggests that the character of the mask is male. The eyebrows are the only area left without white paint. The eyes had originally been painted with black irises and pupils but have been whitewashed over as if the eyes were to be redesigned. There is, possibly, an earlier red paint layer showing through on the lower edge of the nose. The mask has a long closed mouth that is almost expressionless and the other facial features are quite common, making it hard to determine what forest spirits character this mask could be. The mask has no cedar bark trim, but written on the inside of the back of the mask in pencil is “Mountain” and its whitewashing indicates that it is a spirit and probably belongs to the Atłak´ima masks of Harry Mountain. The technique and layout of the carving of the mask strongly resembles the work of Mungo Martin.