David Neel - Man Transforming into Bukwis

By Lattimer Gallery
Posted in News, on October 19, 2024

David Neel has recently completed three red cedar masks embodying three Kwakwaka'wakw stories. This is the story of Man Transforming into Bukwus as told by David Neel, summarized by Lattimer Gallery:

Early one summer morning, Made to be Hunter prepared his canoe for seal hunting. In the bow of the canoe there were two harpoons, seal bladders full of water and cedar boxes of dried fish. Soon after departing from the village, a heavy fog rolled in, leaving him unable to see past his bow or navigate by the stars. After being lost for two days, he could see distant waves breaking on a beach and decided to paddle closer, hoping to be saved. As he approached the shore, he realized the waves were huge rollers, but with no choice left, he paddled with all his strength. A large wave grabbed the canoe and violently flung it forward, hurling Made to be Hunter onto the shore and leaving him stranded as his canoe shattered on the rocks. He made a shelter from the pieces of his canoe and ate some smoked salmon that he still had with him until he fell asleep. He was awoken in the middle of the night to a stranger who did not seem quite human. The stranger offered to feed him and brought him to a bighouse to sit by the fire. When the stranger left him to get the food, a voice called to him, it was Calling Tribes, the daughter of the Chief of his own village who disappeared four years ago. She told him not to eat their food, or he will be trapped like her. She told him that the stranger was Bukwis, and if he did not stay strong in spirit, he would lose his mind and volition. He pretended to eat the salmon that was brought to him but threw it in the fire when they looked away, and the salmon turned into rotted wood in the flames. This happened every day for four days. On the fourth day, Calling Tribes spoke to him again, warning him that the ghosts will pretend to be his family rescuing him. She instructs him to hold their paddles over the fire, then sprinkle them with urine. However, on the fourth day, his real family will come, but he must still be cautious and test them. The next morning, he saw his father and brothers arrive in a canoe. He did exactly what he was told. The paddles turned into minks and martens, and his family transformed into land otters. He stabbed the canoe with his knife and it turned into a skate and swam away. He did this for two more days. On the fourth day, his family arrived again. He tested them, and was overjoyed to see his real family had come to rescue him. During his time among the ghosts, Made to be Hunter obtained supernatural power and became the best huntsman in the village. He hosted many potlatches and he and his family became very wealthy. To this day, his descendants display the Bukwis mask and perform the dance of the Wild Man of the Woods in their feasts.