Vancouver Island; British Columbia; Canada
Northwest Coast / Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka)

Weathervanes Scallop Shells, wood
ca. Early 20th century
Length: 13 in, Average width: 6 in
Idiophone – Struck – Indirectly (Rattle)

A Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) rattle made of very large shells from a scallop species locally called Pacific, Weathervanes or Pecten. This type of rattle is part of a ritual masked dance called the ‘X̱wix̱wi’ (prounounced “hway-hway”).  The dance is done to cleanse and protect people of high rank. The right to perform this dance was passed from Coast Salish people to the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth through marriage.

This rattle is possibly from Clayoquot in Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) territory on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Reference:  https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/northwest-coast/nuu-chah-nulth