by Skip Saunders
(Nuxalk)

Red Cedar, paint, bark (11”x9”x9”)

$2650

Thunder – The leading Kusiut among supernatural beings. At the dance of Thunder, Atxwolatinim, the supernatural herald for Thunder comes out and beats his stick on the floor and announces “Come, ye supernatural ones. The most famous kusiut of all is about to dance.” The mask representing Thunder is large and of fearsome appearance with hooked beak and overhanging forehead; it is always carried by a man of powerful physique. He first appears on a box and after twisting and turning for several minutes, Thunder leaps to the floor of the house, and as he does so there sounds a peal of thunder. Escorted by several kusiut he circles the fire, and after a final stamping and twisting, disappears into the enclosure. Thunder always comes out four times in all, on each occasion dancing once around the fire. (McIlwraith)