^'^g^'^^^f^P- IROQUOIS MASKS AT ONONDAGA — ^HENDRY 391 



dians, is used along with chisels for hollowing out the back. Al- 

 though vices are owned by several of the carvers, they are never 

 used for masks. One man thought this tool might be helpful but 

 the others said that it would crack the mask after it had been hol- 

 lowed. The carver generally places the piece to be carved on a 

 larger block of wood or braces the carving against his chest or knees. 

 Always working with the grain of the wood, he carves either toward 

 or away from his body^ — -whichever is easier in relation to the way he 

 is holding the mask. 



While most masks are made from a single piece of wood, additions 

 such as teeth or tusks may be pegged in. Some men sandpaper 

 before they paint because they like a glossy surface; others prefer 

 the rough texture of the knife marks. Red is the favorite color; 

 occasionally, however, the carvings are given a dark brown finish 

 which makes them look antique. After the mask has been painted, 

 the hair is tacked on. This may be short fur which encircles the 

 face like a ruff or it may be the more traditional long horsehair. The 

 latter, which is obtained from a slaughterhouse in Syracuse, is dried 

 out and then pounded with a mallet to soften it. 



There are certain individual differences in the methods of the 

 carvers. Some start to hollow the back before they have progressed 

 very far with the features, others finish up the front before they 

 begin on the back, and still others work the back and front alter- 

 nately. One man pointed out that he always tries to keep the 

 features at the same stage of development, since if one part gets 

 ahead of the rest it results in a poor carving. Several of the carvers 

 said they found it necessary to try their masks on while they were 

 working them to check the position of the eyeholes and to be sure 

 they fit without rubbing or scraping the face. The speed with which 

 the men carve also varies considerably. Kenneth Thomas works 

 very slowly, taking 3 to 4 months to complete one mask, whereas 

 Eddie Schenandoah is able to finish one in a week or less. 



Most of my information on the techniques of carving was acquired 

 by questioning the men about their usual method of procedure rather 

 than by observation of the actual processes, since I was on the reserva- 

 tion during March and April, months which are "out of season" for 

 the maskmakers. None of the carvers were working on masks at this 

 time, nor could any of them be persuaded to start a large one for my 

 benefit. The excuses given were that they had just finished carving for 

 the Midwinter Festival, that they were too busy, or that they had no 

 properly seasoned wood. However, after I had displayed a great deal 

 of interest and curiosity, and had offered to pay him any amount of 

 money he thought fair, Allison Thomas agreed to make a maskette 

 for me. 



