ḥuquuma (Mask)

About this object

Narrative

Photos showing this mask are in the RBCM Archives (#PN16710-11), from the Mary Sieburth Collection. The information on the photos suggests a possible Salish origin, however the Raley catalogue (if the coll. # is correct) listed it as 'West Coast'. Photo 16710 (which shows the mask and a model pole) had the following written on the back: "Mayors Office, City Hall. For Warspite vessel in port. Chief Dan George, Deep Cove Burrard Indians danced and presented to Captain of Warspite. My Totem Pole accepted - Dr. Raley's Mask rejected....I donated it - Mary's drive." 16711 shows just the mask (described as "Coast Salish). The writing on the back says: "Indian mask. Donated by me Mary McNeill Clark Sieburth. Presented at Vancouver City Hall in aid of the Marys of Canada Spitfire Fund."

Physical description

A painted wood human face mask with a sloping forehead joined to a protruding nose that has yellow nostrils that are red inside. The cut out circular eyes are black in a tapering white oval surrounded by a green area. The red lips are full and flat and are surrounded by a yellow area. The face is black with a yellow halo-like feature around the head that has five segments along the top.