Raven is one of the most important beings in Northwest Coast art and mythology, although the nature of his role varies from one culture to another and his predominance diminishes from north to south.
Raven is the original organizer, playing roles of trickster, transformer, teacher, catalyst and chief spirit. He is also a relentless schemer and practical joker, lustful, impulsive, cunning, shameless and without remorse.
Full of magical, supernatural power, Raven could turn himself into anything at any time. He could live beneeath the sea, ascend into the sky or make anything happen by willing it to be so. His legendary antics were often motivated by insatiable greed and he loved to tease, cheat, woo and trick.
All too often, however, the tables would turn on the hapless Raven. Raven is also an important totem figure of prestige and is one of the two main crests of th Haida on the Queen Charlotte Islands.
This supernatural bird has been carved as a tranformation mask. The external aspect of the creature is a darkly painted raven, with nostrils and mouth outlined in bright red paint. The masked dancer would swing his head from one side to the other as the Raven's face was thrown open, then split into four segments to reveal the second mask within.
Carved from red cedar with cedar bark, acrylic paint & varathane - all Canadian products.
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