Kwakwakaʼwakw art

Kwakwaka'wakw arts are exemplified in totem poles, masks, wooden carvings, jewelry and woven blankets.

[1] Some are employed by local chiefs as personal carvers, who are then tasked to produce wooden gifts bearing the house symbols to distribute in potlatch.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, several artists earned their living as carvers in the manner described above, since their work was commissioned by their villages.

Once the shock of those participants in the Cranmer potlatch in 1921 wore off and governments were realizing native populations were no longer on the decline, art as a means of earning a living was encouraged - as it had begun to be in Alaska.

Kwakwaka'wakw art can be defined by deep cuts into the wood, and a minimal use of paint reserved for emphasis purposes.

The materials used in Kwakwaka'wakw art include wood, horn, bark, shell, animal bone and various pigments.

For wood, western red cedar (Thuja plicata) is preferred for large projects, as it grows in abundance along the Northwest coast.

The crafts of the Kwakwaka'wakw are made out of extensive woodwork, and include a wide variety of objects, from masks, effigies, rattles, storage boxes, food vessels to large totems and house posts.

As such, a wide array of masks exist, depicting mythological beings, animals, forces of nature, and other humans.

The following are a select few important types of masks: Jewelry amongst the Kwakwaka'wakw consisted of earrings, bracelets, necklaces, nose rings, lip piercings and more.

[17] Textile arts in Kwakwaka'wakw culture are represented by ceremonial curtains, dance aprons, blankets and clothing.

Hunt was a Tlingit woman who married an Englishman working in the Fort Rupert area, part of Kwakwaka'wakw territory.

Button blankets or cloaks are brightly colored, usually with a navy blue base and red appliqué of Melton wool.

The aprons were often decorated with trinkets such as small coppers, puffin beaks, deer hoofs, etc., which produced pleasing sounds while dancing.

[22] The sequence of characters and symbols sculpted into a totem pole is indicative of past family events, ancestors, myths, and heraldic crests, with the bottom figure usually being the most prominent.

These included whistles, rattles, kerfed boxes, effigies, staffs, utensils, ceremonial knives, headdresses, headbands and food vessels.

Later, local research organizations commissioned artists such as Ray Hanuse to paint interiors and exteriors with Kwakwaka'wakw motifs.

Mistakes and poorly conducted dances could mean a loss of social position, or the stiffness of penalties; such as having to host a potlatch to regain prestige.

Intricate props and stage illusions are made ready, from hidden strings and tunnels for magic tricks to pounding noise on the roof in a simulation of mythical birds.

[28] The entire operation extends beyond the dancing house, as acts are deliberately planned for novices to be initiated into the ceremony.

[29] The dance requires a large cast of characters, takes a total of four days to finish, and is steeped in ritual and drama.

1960), grandson of carver Ellen Neel, is a contemporary Kwakwaka'wakw painter, photographer, printmaker, and multimedia artist.

His work demonstrates that Northwest Coastal art can meet the challenge of addressing current sociopolitical issues, for example his prints and masks that deal with land conflicts, radiation, oil spills, clear cutting, and overpopulation.