Bee

Nuu-Chah-Nulth
Red Cedar, Cedar Bark, Feather
14" x 16" x 10"

Traditionally worn during potlatch ceremonies, Bee masked dancers provided bouts of comic relief during otherwise serious ceremonial proceedings. Bee dancers, often a group of young children, swarmed around sleepy viewers, mimicking the bee’s sudden, unpredictable movement, and often ‘stinging’ viewers who were later compensated with gifts.