#4 Ha̱msa’mala “Supernatural Man-Eater Birds”

The Hi’ha̱msiwe’ “Hamat̓sa Bird Masks” represent supernatural birds that were the servants of Baxwbakwalanuksiwe’, and he could also transform into these birds as well. The most important servant of Baxwbakwalanuksiwe’ is G̱wax̱wg̱waḵwalanuksiwe’ “Raven from the North End of the World”; the second is Huxwhugwa̱dzayi “Supernatural Long-Beak Bird”; the third is G̱alug̱wa̱dzayi “Crooked¬-Beak of Heaven”. The rights to dance the Hamat̕sa and the Hi’ha̱msiwe’ came to the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw through marriage or warfare from our northern neighbors, the Hiłdzakw of Bella Bella and the A̱wik̕inux̱w of Rivers Inlet; where these dance societies originated.
Video and editing by Vince Dumoulin