Mask, myth and ritual : an analysis of interrelationships on the Northwest Coast.
Date
1974
Authors
Persson, Diane Iona
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Abstract
The relationship of the elements of myth, ritual, and mask among the Kwakiutl is examined to determine their indices and associations. Special attention is paid to the mythological figure Bukwus, the Wild Man of the Woods.
Structural analysis of myth reveals a consistent pattern with a body of five myths; there is a move from disequilibrium to equilibrium achieved by the mediating role of Bukwus. Study of the ceremonial context in which the mythological figure is impersonated indicates that the figure of Bukwus is portrayed in the dance in two separate ceremonies: first, in the celebration which marks the transition from the profane summer season to the sacred winter season, and, second, in the winter ceremonials, which serve primarily to initiate novices into the dance societies. Within the organization of the dance societies Bukwus appears as a member of two distinct groups; in one the dancers are considered to be supernaturally possessed and in the other they are not, although all dances are of supernatural origin.
The analysis of the masks portraying Bukwus is based upon the 36 variables (190 attributes) characterizing the mask, limited to a sample of twenty-six. The frequency of occurrence of each attribute is calculated with a number of specific features being isolated within the sample. A dendrogram and two-dimensional scalogram were generated based on a coefficient of similarity which suggested two clusters of limited strength. It is suggested that the attributes distinguishing each cluster are based on stylistic variation rather than on the dual nature of Bukwus revealed by the myths and rituals.