KWAKWAKA'WAKW TOTEM ART

The Kwakwaka’wakw of British Columbia carve imposing totems and elaborate masks for their bakwas (Wild Man) and hamatsa (cannibal spirit) dances, embodying their origin myths and social structure. These carvings, bold and dynamic, form an inclusive West Coast Indigenous heritage art that commands awe, conveying complex cultural narratives and the community’s connection to supernatural realms.