
Pacific Northwest Indian Dance

by Science Source
Title
Pacific Northwest Indian Dance
Artist
Science Source
Medium
Painting - Photograph
Description
"Medicine Mask Dance", Northwest Coast Peoples, oil on canvas, by Paul Kane circa 1849-1856. The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest are well known for their ceremonial masks made from wood, primarily cedar and occasionally maple, and painted with three primary colors black or blue, red, and white. Masks represented the animals and creatures of the four dimensions of the cosmos the Sky World, the Mortal World, the Undersea World, and the Spirit World. When used in ceremonies, the masks take on the life and spirit of the spirits which they represent. Traditionally, they were guarded and hidden away, and not shown until they appeared in the ceremonial dance.
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August 1st, 2019
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