Mask of a face called the "Bad Shaman" from King Island. Carved of driftwood and painted with a wash of hematite and water. Mask has puffed-out cheeks and large black nostrils painted with India ink. It has a large mouth with full lips. The lower lip protrudes while the counterpart, the "Good Shaman" has a protruding upper lip. The legend behind the mask originated from a shaman who saw the spirits in the clouds and created a ritual dance to accommodate it. The legend states that the spirits in the clouds are two shamans fighting in a word battle to see who had the most power. The words became so violent that the evil shaman becomes angry and kills the brother. He feels terrible for killing the Good Shaman and so he sings a song to bring him back to life. The masks are only to be worn by shamans and are only produced on King's Island and St. Lawrence Island. This mask along with its pair are very popular not only with collectors, but with the carvers as well.The original format of the mask has been kept to its traditional style, only varying in slight differences from the authors own style. This pair was created by Tony Pushruk in 1964. The mask has a narrow leather strap for hanging.
