Feast Dish

Unknown artist

C. 1800

Cedar wood, Paint, Copper metal

Museum of Anthropology at UBC

A carved wooden dish in the shape of a stylized animal, possibly a raven or wolf, with a human figure perched on its back. The dish is painted with red and black accents. A carved wooden dish in the shape of a stylized animal, possibly a raven or wolf, with a human figure perched on its back. The dish is painted with red and black accents. Narrative: Similarity of wood, shallow relief carving and paint suggest that this object is a pair with A1786; the two bowls also seem to be a pair in that they represent both the head and the tale of a whale when put together. Iconographic meaning: Whale is represented by a large rounded head, dorsal fin, blow-hole, and bifurcated tail. Kula was a culture hero who taught the tribe to catch whales. "The Dish Represents the Great Chief Kula, Riding the Whale, and th