164. Transformation mask. mwakwaka’wakw. northwest coast of Canada. Late 19th century CE wood, Paint, and string.

• Form
  • The mask has a birdlike exterior face; when opened, it reveals a second human face on the interior
• Function
  • The masks were worn by native people of the Pacific, Northwest, centered on Vancouver Island
  • They were worn over the head as part of a complete body costume
• Context
  • During a ritual performance, the wearer opens and closes the transformation mask using strings
  • At the moment of transformation, the performer turns his back to the audience to conceal the action and heighten the mystery
  • Opening the mask reveals the face of an ancestor; there is an ancestral element to the ceremony
  • Although these masks could be used at a potlatch, most often they were used in winter initiation rites ceremonies
  • The ceremony is accompanied by drumming and take solace in a big house
  • Masks are highly prized and often inherited.