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BASED IN THE HEART OF HAIDA GWAII SINCE 1984
$9,611.00
Discover Kugaan Jaad (Mouse Woman):
Kugaan Jaad meaning Mouse Woman is a supernatural being in Haida and Northwest Coast stories. She is regarded as an elder, a guide, and a source of medicine—present throughout life’s journey, offering wisdom and support at every stage. Traditionally, Mouse Woman appears on the front of bentwood boxes, placed there to watch over and protect the treasures kept inside.
This mask carries forward the legacy of Mouse Woman in both form and detail. Corey Bulpitt has hand-tooled and distressed the surface, then painted it in traditional Haida colours. The asymmetry of the painted face tattoos on Mouse Woman, a technique seen in older works, contrasts with the symmetry of the carving.
The crown is adorned with two carved mouse faces, their shapes echoing mouse ears, adding a contemporary element. The design also nods to the shrew, a small animal native to Haida Gwaii, its influence visible in the nose of the mask. A labret carved on the lower lip represents high esteem and status, a feature sometimes shown on Raven as well.
Mouse Woman herself is known as a messenger, moving between the realms of sky, earth, and sea. In this mask, Bulpitt blends human features with mouse imagery, capturing her transformative nature as both guide and protector.
Carved & painted by Haida artist, Corey Bulpitt:
Corey Bulpitt, also known as Taakeit Maya or "Gifted Carver" by the Haida of the Naikun Raven clan, was born in Prince Rupert, BC. He is the great-great-grandson of famed artist Charles Edenshaw (1839-1920) and prolific argillite carver Louis Collison (1881-1970).
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