Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) Cedar Frontlet Mask

Signed work by Tsungani (Fearon Smith Jr.), a contemporary Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) artist, and dates to 1971. 

This frontlet mask is a small sculpted panels traditionally worn on the forehead during ceremonial dances rather than over the face and are worn as part of regalia, attached to headdresses or woven headbands, often during potlatch ceremonies and important rituals.
Their function is to display clan crests and ancestral symbols, and the wearer becomes a temporary embodiment of a spirit or mythological animal, marking their rank and rights in the community.
Expertly  hand-carved from western red cedar, polychrome-painted, and inlaid with abalone shell, in classic Northwest Coast style depicting a beaver, with prominent squared front teeth, rounded muzzle, and characteristic North West Coast rendering of animal features.  In Kwakwaka'wakw culture, the beaver is seen as a symbol of industriousness, resourcefulness, and wisdom. Beaver imagery is tied to spiritual and mythological themes, as beavers traverse both land and water, representing boundary-crossing and adaptability, which are considered spiritually powerful traits in Pacific Northwest traditions

Size: 7.5'' x 6'' x 2'' (19 x 15 x 5 cm). + includes a display mount (or can be wall mounted)

Tsungani (Fearon Smith Jr.) is recognized as a significant contemporary Kwakwaka'wakw artist, known for masks and transformation figures. His works from the 1970s onward have appeared in reputable galleries, museum collections, and specialized ethnographic/Indigenous art auctions

 Excellent intact condition.  Ex Pennsylvania Collection