Mask for use by shaman of Western Region Inuit on Nunivak Island, Alaska

This elaborate Inuit shaman's mask was worn during ceremonies and festivals. Carved by a shaman, and used when communing with the spirit world or visiting the land of the dead, the mask expresses the spiritual forces controlling people's lives.

The wooden mask shows a double-faced human, holding a fish and possibly a paddle in its mouths. Four projecting struts support two wooden hoops, and attached to these are a variety of objects, including feathers, miniature hands, legs, webbed feet, fish and seals.

Inuit shamans - people believed to have supernatural powers, and trained for many years - are important as mediators between the living and the spirit worlds, responsible for the community's health and spiritual welfare.

Record details

To search on related items, click any linked text below.