Northwest Coast Mask of Tsonokwa by Andrew Coon, Kwagu'l Tribe, BC

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About the Item

This ceremonial dance mask depicts Tsonokwa, the Wild Woman of the Woods. It is carved red cedar with red paint and graphite, and it is signed and dated April, 1987 by the Kwakwaka'wakw artist Andrew Coon of Gilford Island, British Columbia. The artist's inscription in pencil on the inside reads "Andrew Coon, Gilford Island, BC, Kwagu'l, Tsonoqua, 4/87". The Kwagu'l (or Kwakiutl) Tribe is a nation among the other Kwakwaka'wakw nations in Canada. Tsonokwa is an ancient figure of Kwakwaka'wakw mythology. She is a giant with black skin, pendulous breasts, shaggy hair long enough to cover her whole body, and is nearly blind, very sleepy, clumsy and slow. She stumbles along in a hunched posture while uttering "Huu, huu, huu!" as she roams the forest searching for children to put in her basket and carry back to her cave to eat. She is a shape-shifter, a possessor of treasures, and she can transform into a male, often to give away wealth at a potlatch ceremony. In the spiritual traditional dances of winter, she is represented by masks such as this one. She often arrives toward the end of the rituals, shuffles her way around the fire scaring everyone with her demeanor and eerie call, stumbles and lurches and eventually falls asleep before being led away by her attendants, signaling the end of the ceremony. She sounds like an owl or a loon or the wind in the cedar trees. She is often linked to mysterious creatures of other cultures, like Big Foot, Yeti and Sasquatch, or the witch in the Hansel and Gretel story. One of the purposes of portraying her is to make children afraid to wander off and get lost in the forest. This mask has great appeal with deep, emotional carving, spiritual understanding, reverence of Native tradition and folklore, striking colors and a very dramatic appearance. It would be eye catching in a foyer, hallway, den or library.

Creator:
Andrew Coon (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 11 in (27.94 cm)Width: 7.75 in (19.69 cm)Depth: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Acrylic,Cedar,Paint,Wire,Hand-Carved,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
Canada
Period:
20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1987
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. For dancing, hair made of stripped cedar bark would fill the holes along the edges of the mask and mouth. But the hair of Tsonokwa often hides most of her face and body, so its absence allows the mask to be clearly seen for display.
Seller Location:
Quechee, VT
Reference Number:
Seller: D202-015-EBC1stDibs: LU9286944584

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