Spirit Hunter In Transformation Mask
by Larry Clark, Inupiaq
soapstone, wood, feathers
17” high x 17” wide x 3” deep
In the ancient times, wood for the spirit masks was found washed up on the shores of Nunivak Island. Wood was a highly prized commodity for the people. The paint for the masks was made from red ochre rock mixed with seal blood. The black was also a charcoal rock mixed with seal blood, and the white originated four feet beneath the ground as white clay. The string used to tie the mask rings together is walrus sinew.
In the Cup'ig tradition, masks were employed by a shaman (angalkuq), the only member of the community with sufficient power to control the spirits of nature. Masks enabled them to communicate with the spirits and understand their needs, and to give recommendations on how to appease them. Guidance from the angalkuq often emphasized a carefully observed code of behavior that would preserve a positive relationship with the spirits, upon whose goodwill the life of the community depended.
