Fantastic Photographs Of North American Indians In Ceremonial Masks (1905-1915)

Kwakiutl and Navajo tribes. Edward S. Curtis circa 1914.

Title: Kwahwumhl–Koskimo
c1914 November 13.
Summary: Dancer wearing raven mask with coat of cormorant skins during the numhlin ceremony.

Title: Paqusilahl–Qagyuhl
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: 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.

Title: Sisiutl–Qagyuhl
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: Sisiutl, one of the main dancers in the Winter Dance ceremonies, wearing a double-headed serpent mask and shirt made of hemlock boughs.

Title: Nuhlimahla–Qagyuhl
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: Person wearing ceremonial mask of the Nuhlimahla during the during the Winter Dance ceremony. These characters impersonated fools and were noted for their devotion to filth and disorder.

Title: Hami–Koskimo
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: Koskimo person wearing full-body fur garment, oversized gloves and mask of Hami (“dangerous thing”) during the numhlim ceremony.

Title: Nuhlimkilaka–Koskimo
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: Kwakiutl person wearing an oversize mask and hands representing a forest spirit, Nuhlimkilaka, (“bringer of confusion”).

Dancer of the Kwaguʼł nation of British Colombia portray Qunhulahl, The Thunderbird

Title: Tsunukwalahl–Qagyuhl
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: Person wearing Mask of Tsunukwalahl, a mythical being, used during the Winter Dance.

Title: Hamasilahl–Qagyuhl
Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: Ceremonial dancer, full-length portrait, standing, wearing mask and a fur garments during the Winter Dance ceremony.

Title: Masked dancer–Cowichan
Date Created/Published: c1913 June 16.
Summary: Dancer wearing oversize mask, three rings of feathers in front of clothing, holding a rattle.

Navajo-Tobadzischini [Yeibichai war god] 1904 by E.S.Curtis

A Navajo man wearing a mask of Haschebaad, a benevolent female deity. 1905.

Title: Gaaskidi [i.e. Ganaskidi]–Navaho
Date Created/Published: c1905 January.
Summary: Photo shows a Navajo man wearing mask of Ganaskidi, god of harvests, plenty, and of mists.

An Edward Curtis photograph from 1928, showing an Inuit hunter/fisherman wearing a bird mask.

Title: Zahadolzhá–Navaho
Date Created/Published: c1904.
Summary: A Navajo man, full-length, in ceremonial dress including mask and body paint.

Title: Tonenili–Navaho
Date Created/Published: c1905 January 6.
Summary: Navajo man bedecked in hemlock boughs and mask of a clown associated with the mischievous rain god Tonenili, “Water Sprinkler”.

Title: Haschogan (House God) – The Yebichai Hunchback
Date Created/Published: [1904]
Summary: Photograph shows a Navajo man, half-length, seated, facing front, wearing a ceremonial mask with feathers and with fir or spruce branches forming a wreath around the shoulders.

Title: [Atlumhl– Koskimo]
Date Created/Published: c1914.
Summary: North American Indian man, in costume with ceremonial mask, on hands and knees.

Title: [Zahadolzha–Navaho]
Date Created/Published: 1904, c1905.
Summary: Indian, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing front, wearing leather mask with basket cap, fur ruff, nude torso painted with white lines.

Title: [Nayenezgani–Navaho]
Date Created/Published: 1904, c1905.
Summary: Indian, half-length portrait, facing front, wearing dark mask, fur ruff, paint on torso.

Date Created/Published: c1914 November 13.
Summary: 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.

Nane-Qagyuhl, c1914

EREMONIAL DRESS OF THE KWAKIUTL AND NOOTKA TRIBES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1914. Woman wearing a fringed Chilkat blanket, a hamatsa neckring and mask representing deceased relative who had been a shaman

Nootka mask (west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada), 1915.

Kwakiutl and Navajo tribes, circa 1914.