Presenter(s): Hannah Solheim − Economics, Mathematics
Faculty Mentor(s): Vera Keller
Oral Session 4O
Research Area: Social Science
The origin of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History’s Anthropomorphic Mask (Item #2-1054) has been a mystery for decades. The museum purchased the mask from Alice Henson Ernst in 1938. However, little was known about how Ernst acquired the mask or where it originated. First, I compared the mask’s morphological traits to typical mask characteristics from different northwest coast Native American tribes, as reported in secondary literature. Many of the mask’s features are characteristic of the Kwakwaka’wakw People, residing on the British Columbian coast. The mask’s color scheme, protruding eyes, exaggerated mouth, and use of discontinuous black lines of varying thickness all point to Kwakwaka’wakw origins. This is a particular type of Kwakwaka’wakw mask called an Atlakim mask. These masks were hastily crafted and crudely painted, perhaps explaining the visible brush strokes in the paint. These masks were not meant to last—they were worn for four years in dancing series and then burnt. Perhaps this mask narrowly escaped being devoured by a fire, as evidenced by the mask’s singed cheek. Next, I examined the museum’s accession records and the Alice Henson Ernst Papers to determine how and when Ernst acquired the mask. A research proposal reveals that in August 1938, Ernst travelled to Fort Rupert to do field work among the Kwakwaka’wakw People. Ernst’s correspondence suggests that she purchased the mask from a tribe member named Harry. The Alice Henson Ernst Papers, housed in Special Collections, hold the key to identifying more masks in the Museum’s Collection.