Western Carolina University WCU University of North Carolina Asheville UNCA

Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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WCU - Craft Revival

Mask: wood

  • wcu_craft_revival-6199.jpg
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  • This undated photograph shows a Cherokee dance mask that was carved around 1940 by renowned Cherokee woodcarver Will West Long. In addition to being known for his talent at woodworking, Long was a widely respected authority on Cherokee culture and folklore, especially concerning medicine and spiritual practices, and was recorded singing traditional Cherokee dance songs in the 1930s. Cherokee masks were typically carved from buckeye or poplar, but were also be made from hornets' nests, animal hides, or gourds. This wood mask features heavy black eyebrows and a dark hairline. Dark-colored pigments on masks like this one were made with charcoal from chestnut or poplar wood. Masks were used by Cherokees for a variety of traditionally ceremonial purposes and were made in a wide range of styles, from variations on the “booger” mask, to depictions of animals, including bear and deer, and the seven Cherokee clans.

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Craft Revival

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mountain craftsmen formed the cornerstone of a revived interest in things handmade to create a movement known as the Craft Revival. During the Revival...

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