NATIVE AMERICAN NORTH WEST COAST ARTIFACTS
The Indian peoples of the northwestern dental coast of Canada and southeastern Alaska were the architects of one of the most singular cultures known. The high standard of living due to the abundance of fishing and the intensity of trade made material wealth the fulcrum of the social organization of the Indians: but the completely new and peculiar aspect of these people lies in the fact that it was not the possession of the goods in itself that determined the position of the various clans, but the prodigality in dispensing them. This conception was expressed during the particular ceremonies (potlatch) in which advances in the welfare state could be claimed through the donation, consumption and destruction of property.
Alongside this sort of 'reverse' materialism, another element that the Indian culture was permeated with was the deep sense of communication with nature: the real world was animated by spirits who exercised an immediate and constant influence on the life of the individual, so much so that each family unit and each clan traced its origin to a union with a supernatural being . The totem pole, symbol of the culture of the Indians of this area, represents the spirits of the various families and can be considered the physical representation of their vision of the world. The rich mythology arising from this conception greatly influenced, in addition to ritual ceremonies, also artistic expressions, which were not limited to objects related to worship (such as sophisticated masks), but they included various objects of everyday life, often made with incredible artistic sense and chromatic taste.
West Coast bird mask painted with blue, red, black pigment, straw hair and white legal feathers. Vintage period. Overall good condition.
Mesurements: inches 11" x 4.3" x 3.5" (cm 28 x 11 x 9)
Provenience: Private British Collection
