Contemporary Alutiiq Masks and Meaning

Abstract

Between the late 19th century and the late 20th century, mask carving was not practiced on Kodiak Island, the ancestral home of the Alutiiq peoples. In the last three decades, this tradition has re-emerged. This article examines how Alutiiq masks are made today and examines some of the challenges of making masks for both Alutiiq and non-Alutiiq audiences.

A visitor to Kodiak, Alaska today will probably encounter Alutiiq¹ masks hanging in homes, for sale in the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository and used as decoration in businesses around the city. A visitor might notice reproductions of Alutiiq masks imprinted on t-shirts, magnets and coffee cups. If a visitor is lucky enough to travel to one of the villages on the island, he or she might see Alutiiq students participating in masked dances, or carving miniature masks in a workshop. Her or she might see masks hanging from street posts, or sheds. (See figure 1). There are two distinct audiences that enjoy Alutiiq masks; those