hamsalagamł (Mask)
About this object
History of use
Used in the Bumblebee dance, which is a children's dance and is often one of the first dances a child participates in during the Winter Ceremonial among the Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw. In the dance, a father and mother bee lead progressively smaller bees out onto the dance floor one by one. When the children are led back into their 'beehive' at the end of the dance one child is discovered to be missing. The father bee circles the floor four times searching for this lost child. On the fourth round the child is found hidden amongst the spectators and is led home.
Narrative
Danced in a potlatch given by Alec Nelson, Kingcome Inlet, 1938 (D. Hawkins, 1966).
Iconographic meaning
Represents a bumblebee.
Physical description
Large round mask with slightly raised eyes. Upwardly curved mouth. The nose area has many small holes around it. Cloth hood nailed to the mask to fit over the wearer's head. Painted in colours of red, black, white and green.