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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw (or Kwakiutl) are Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Most of them live on northern Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland and islands near Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait. In the past, there were approximately 28 communities speaking dialects of Kwak’wala – the Kwakwaka’wakw language – but some of these died out or joined others, to the point where the number of communities is approximately in half. From the late 18th century onward, Europeans applied the name of one band, the Kwakiutl, to the entire group, a tradition that persists today. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Kwak’wala-speaking area has been inhabited for 8,000 years. The Kwakwaka’wakw fished, hunted, and gathered following the seasons before contact with Europeans, resulting in a plentiful supply of preserved food. As a result, they returned to their winter villages to perform ceremonies and engage in artistic endeavors for several months.

The first documented contact with Westerners occurred in 1792 during the expedition led by English officer Captain George Vancouver, followed by the settlement of European colonies on Canada’s West Coast. The Kwakwaka’wakw population dropped by up to 75% between 1830 and 1880 due to diseases brought by settlers. Their oral history claims their ancestors (ʼnaʼmima) arrived by land, sea, or underground in the form of animals. The ancestral animal that came at a particular spot shed its animal appearance and became human. A few animals that feature in these origin myths include Thunderbird, his brother Kolas, seagulls, orcas, grizzlies, and chief ghosts. The ancestors of some people come from distant places and have human origins. Potlatch ceremonies featured elaborate weaving and woodwork, and wealth was exhibited and traded as enslaved people and material goods. Franz Boas studied these customs in depth.

Contrary to most non-native societies, wealth and status were determined by how much you gave away, not how much you had. Giving away your wealth was an essential part of a potlatch. Potlatch culture is well known and studied in the Northwest. The Kwakwakaʼwakw still practice it, as do their neighbors known for their lavish artwork. It details the incredible artwork and legends associated with the potlatch, high politics, and the great wealth and power of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw chiefs in Chiefly Feasts: The Enduring Kwakiutl Potlatch.

When the Canadian government focused on the assimilation of First Nations, it suppressed potlatch activities. According to William Duncan, in 1875, the potlatch represented “by far the most formidable of all obstacles” to Indians becoming Christians, if not civilized. The Indian Act of 1885 included a provision banning the potlatch and making it illegal to practice. A later amendment expanded the Act to prohibit guests from participating in the potlatch ceremony. The Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw were too numerous to police, and the government could not enforce the law. Kwakwakaʼwakw arts include totems, masks, textiles, jewelry, and carved objects ranging in size from transformation masks to 40 ft (12 m) high totem poles. The Kwakwakaʼwakw sculpted and carved cedar wood because it was readily available in the native regions. There were bold cuts, a degree of realism, and emphatic use of paints in carving totems. Kwakwakaʼwakw art is strongly influenced by masks, as masks are vital to portray the characters central to Kwakwakawakw dance ceremonies.

Edward Curtis (1868–1952), a photographer and ethnologist famous for his work with Native Americans, created the photographs of the Kwakwaka’wakw ceremonial dress and masks.

#1 Nakoaktok men in ceremonial dress, with long beaks, crouching on their haunches.

Nakoaktok men in ceremonial dress, with long beaks, crouching on their haunches.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#2 Koskimo person wearing full-body fur garment, oversized gloves and mask of Hami (“dangerous thing”) during the numhlim ceremony.

Koskimo person wearing full-body fur garment, oversized gloves and mask of Hami (“dangerous thing”) during the numhlim ceremony.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#3 Person wearing Mask of Tsunukwalahl, a mythical being, used during the Winter Dance.

Person wearing Mask of Tsunukwalahl, a mythical being, used during the Winter Dance.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#4 Person wearing ceremonial mask of the Nuhlimahla during the Winter Dance ceremony.

Person wearing ceremonial mask of the Nuhlimahla during the Winter Dance ceremony.

These characters impersonated fools and were noted for their devotion to filth and disorder.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#5 Ceremonial mask worn by a dancer portraying the hunter in Bella Bella mythology who killed the giant man-eating octopus.

Ceremonial mask worn by a dancer portraying the hunter in Bella Bella mythology who killed the giant man-eating octopus.

The dance was performed during Tluwulahu, a four-day ceremony prior to the Winter Dance.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#6 Kwakiutl person wearing an oversize mask and hands representing a forest spirit, Nuhlimkilaka, (“bringer of confusion”).

Kwakiutl person wearing an oversize mask and hands representing a forest spirit, Nuhlimkilaka, (“bringer of confusion”).

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#7 Dancer wearing raven mask with coat of cormorant skins during the numhlin ceremony.

Dancer wearing raven mask with coat of cormorant skins during the numhlin ceremony.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#8 Kwakiutl person wearing the mask of mythical creature Pgwis (man of the sea).

Kwakiutl person wearing the mask of mythical creature Pgwis (man of the sea).

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#9 Koskimo man in costume with ceremonial mask, on hands and knees.

Koskimo man in costume with ceremonial mask, on hands and knees.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#10 Woman wearing a fringed Chilkat blanket, a hamatsa neckring, and a mask representing a deceased relative who had been a shaman.

Woman wearing a fringed Chilkat blanket, a hamatsa neckring, and a mask representing a deceased relative who had been a shaman.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#11 Ceremonial dancer, full-length portrait, standing, wearing mask and fur garments during the Winter Dance ceremony.

Ceremonial dancer, full-length portrait, standing, wearing mask and fur garments during the Winter Dance ceremony.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#12 Man dressed in a full-body bear costume. The bear had the duty of guarding the dance house.

Man dressed in a full-body bear costume. The bear had the duty of guarding the dance house.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#13 Sisiutl, one of the main dancers in the Winter Dance ceremonies, wearing a double-headed serpent mask and shirt made of hemlock boughs.

Sisiutl, one of the main dancers in the Winter Dance ceremonies, wearing a double-headed serpent mask and shirt made of hemlock boughs.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#14 Dancer representing Paqusilahl (“man of the ground embodiment”), wearing a mask and shirt covered with hemlock boughs, representing paqus, a wild man of the woods.

Dancer representing Paqusilahl (“man of the ground embodiment”), wearing a mask and shirt covered with hemlock boughs, representing paqus, a wild man of the woods.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#15 Ceremonial dancers, in a circle during the Winter Dance ceremony, wearing masks and garments of fur, feathers, and other materials.

Ceremonial dancers, in a circle during the Winter Dance ceremony, wearing masks and garments of fur, feathers, and other materials.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#16

Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#17 Kwakiutl man, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing front, wearing a mask depicting a loon on top of a man’s head to facilitate the loon changing into the form of a man.

Kwakiutl man, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing front, wearing a mask depicting a loon on top of a man’s head to facilitate the loon changing into the form of a man.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#18

Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#19 During the winter ceremony, Kwakiutl dancers wearing masks and costumes, crouch in foreground with others behind them. The chief on the far left holds a speaker’s staff.

During the winter ceremony, Kwakiutl dancers wearing masks and costumes, crouch in foreground with others behind them. The chief on the far left holds a speaker’s staff.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#20 Man with a copper piece, hammered in the characteristic “T” shape.

Man with a copper piece, hammered in the characteristic “T” shape.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#21 Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw canoe welcoming with masks and traditional dug out cedar canoes.

Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw canoe welcoming with masks and traditional dug out cedar canoes.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#22

Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#23 Kwakiutl, bridal group.

Kwakiutl, bridal group.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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#24 Dzawa̱da̱ʼenux̱w girl, Margaret Frank (née Wilson) wearing abalone shell earrings, a sign of nobility and worn only by members of this class.

Dzawa̱da̱ʼenux̱w girl, Margaret Frank (née Wilson) wearing abalone shell earrings, a sign of nobility and worn only by members of this class.

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Rare Historical Photos of Kwakwakaʼwakw Ceremonial Dress and Masks, 1914-1915

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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