Mama'yutlamalagaml (Atlak'im Woman Giving Birth mask)
ca. 1940
The atlak’im follows the hamat’sa dances, and can include forty masks representing forest beings and others. It is an inherited privilege that recreates an auspicious encounter between an ancestor and the assembled creatures, resulting in a gift to that ancestor of the dance, songs and regalia, including this Woman Giving Birth mask.
Red cedar, red cedar bark, enamel paint, cotton cord, wool cloth, nails, and cotton cloth
13 x 11 x 3 1/2 in. (33.02 x 27.94 x 8.89 cm)
Gift of John H. Hauberg
91.1.7
Provenance: Micheal R. Johnson, Seattle, Washington, until 1973; John H. Hauberg, Seattle, Washington, 1973-1991; Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington
Photo: Paul Macapia
