Header - Thunder Bird Park

Early Park Title

Nuu-chah-nulth (Ahousaht) Ceremonial Screen, probably 19th century

Nuu-chah-nulth (Ahousaht) Ceremonial Screen in Thunderbird ParkThunderbird Park. RBCM PN 17599.

 

Six adzed cedar planks, painted with Nuu-chah-nulth images of Thunderbirds, Whales and Serpents, make up this ceremonial screen. It was purchased at Ahousaht in 1940 from a man known as Old Joe but was made much earlier. Painted cloth ceremonial curtains - more portable and easier to conceal than cedar-board screens - came into use during the period when potlatching was illegal in Canada (1884 to 1951).
RBCM  5044-5049 (screen), 4538 (planks).

Close up of the whole screenThunderbird Park. RBCM PN 17599.
    Thunderbirds are flanked by Serpents (top) and Whales (bottom) on each half of the screen. Enormous, powerful Thunderbirds inhabited the tops of mountains in Nuu-chah-nulth territory. They wore belts of Lightning Snakes that became harpoons when they hunted whales. Thunderbirds could remove their bird cloaks and become human. 
Close up view of the left side of the screenThunderbird Park. RBCM PN 17599.
    Painted circles are just visible beside the profile heads on the Raven pole. These may represent the moon and also function as targets in games that were the hereditary ceremonial rights of certain Nuu-chah-nulth chiefs.
Close up view of the right side of the screenThunderbird Park. RBCM PN 17599.
 The wide, unpainted boards at the bottom of the screen were split from cedar trees and adzed in the traditional manner. They date from the 19th century and likely come from a Coast Salish community in North Saanich, near Victoria.
Left hand screen inside the Carving StudioScreen shown inside Carving Studio. CPN

Right hand screen inside the Carving StudioScreen shown inside Carving Studio. CPN


Back to Nuxalk Pole and Nuu-chah-nulth Screen