Two brown buckskin fringes with puffin beaks sewn on ends.
Donor:
W. Barclay Stephens
Collection place:
Masset, Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands
Verbatim coll. place:
Canada; British Columbia; Queen Charlotte Islands; Masset
Culture or time period:
Haida
Collector:
Willie J. Clark Dodd
Collection date:
1887-1890
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
5.2 Magic: Objects Associated with Practices reflecting confidence in the ability to manipulate supernatural agencies
Accession date:
1936
Context of use:
Part of 15580-81 (shaman's outfit). Reg Davidson/Jim Hart (Haida sculptors, 10/1990): "Made for dancing. Men and women would use them.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
25 centimeters
Comment:
Puffins shed their beaks every year and people go around and pick them up and they hang out in certain areas. You need a boat to go out and get them. They're in secret spots - Haida secret spots." fide Reg Davidson/Jim Hart, October 1990.