Vintage Pacific Northwest Coast Native Wooden Hawk Carving by William Wasden Jr

Details

Description

A fine vintage Pacific Northwest Native wooden carving.

The carving in the form of an hawk with red, black, white, … Read more A fine vintage Pacific Northwest Native wooden carving.

The carving in the form of an hawk with red, black, white, and yellow tones set on a brown wooden board.

By William Wasden Jr.

Wasden was trained from a very young age in numerous artistic practices of the Kwakwaka’wakw peoples including carving, jewelrymaking, and printing. As a high schooler, he began focusing primarily on preserving traditional singing after hearing his grandfather perform. Wasden currently teaches singing in Alert Bay on Cormorant Island, British Columbia. He also heads the Gwa'wina Dancer's Cultural Society, whose mission is to spread authentic Kwakwaka’wakw culture & teachings.

In Kwakwaka'wakw art, human faces are placed strategically on animal carvings to indicate the creature's supernatural ability to transform into a human form. Kwakwaka'wakw origin myths say that their ancestors were originally animals of various kinds who discarded their animal forms and transformed into humans.

Simply a wonderful piece of Pacific Northwest Native art!

Date:
20th Century

Overall Condition:
It is in overall good, as-pictured, used estate condition with some fine & light surface scratches and other signs of expected light wear consistent with age.

Maker:
William Wasden Jr.

Marks:
Marked to the reverse for Kwaktiul / "Hawk" / by William Wasden

Measurements:
Height: ca. 10 5/8 in.
Width: ca. 15 3/8 in.
Depth: ca. 1 in.

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