Northwest Coast Canadian First Nations art features compelling figures like Bak’was, the Wild Man, and Dzunuk’wa, the Wild Woman. These beings are frequently depicted in dramatic masks carved by skilled artists.
Bak’was, a small, human-like forest dweller, possesses distinctive features: deep-set, round eyes beneath jutting brows, hollow cheeks, a grimacing mouth, and a hooked beak-like nose. Legend says he appears on beaches at dawn, gathering cockles for sustenance. As chief of ghosts, he’s often surrounded by the spirits of the drowned, posing a danger to humans. Those tempted to partake in his meals risk transforming into creatures like him.
Dzunuk’wa, in stark contrast, is a towering, powerful ogress, twice the size of a human. This dark, hairy figure from First Nations legend wields supernatural powers. Her large, sunken eyes, sometimes glowing red, mirror Bak’was’ appearance. Typically, she’s portrayed uttering her wild call (“Uh, huu, uu, uu”) with open mouth and thick, red lips. She’s known for capturing and devouring children who stray into the forest, carrying them in a basket on her back. Despite her fearsome nature, her lack of intelligence allows children to outsmart and escape her.
Interestingly, Dzunuk’wa, though representing the forest’s dark side, also symbolizes wealth for certain tribes. A Dzunuk’wa mask can be a status symbol, reserved for powerful, wealthy families.