String puppet (marioneta) of the character Vasco da Gama. He is richly dressed, with pants and tunic of brocade covered by a knee length cloak of blue velvet edged in fur and a matching hat. His boots are tall, folding over at the knee. A wide, braided belt of leather holds a sheathed wooden sword (part b) painted silver and gold. His face is bearded, and eyes are shiny silver plastic. Hands and face are delicately carved and very detailed. Puppet is moved by a wooden control stick, with marionette strings attached to head, shoulders, hands and knees.

Large male figure with a red paper shirt with a white bow tie, and black pants with a multi-coloured hearts design, and a black paper belt. The figure wears a black wig and a white plastic mask with black eyebrows and a mustache. The figure stands on a round wooden base with cross pieces. The base is covered with aluminum foil and yellow and green tape. A four pack of firecrackers is tied to the base.

Large female figure with a white paper shirt and a purple paper skirt, with a green apron and bright pink hair. The figure has a white plastic mask on her face. The round wooden base on which the figure stands has cross pieces and is covered with foil. A four pack of firecrackers is tied to the base.

Large mask made of cardboard with a protruding nose and horns on the forehead. Large headdress consisting of a tall black cone-shaped cardboard hat and semicircular cutout pieces on each side, surrounded by multi-coloured streamers. The mask is part of a costume that also includes a white shirt (2956/200 b), a red skirt (2956/200 c), a white apron (2956/200 d), a red sash (2956/200 e), a mask (2956/200 a), and two bells (2956/200 f-g).

Large mask made of cardboard with protruding nose and tongue, yellow rubber teeth, a black beard and horns on the forehead. Large headdress consisting of a tall red cone-shaped hat and semicircular cutout pieces on each side, surrounded by multi-coloured streamers. (See costume: 2956/199 b-e, and bells: 2956/199 f-g.)

THE KWAKIUTL OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. BOAS, FRANZ MEMOIRS, 8, 1909

Opera costume blouse collar. Collar consists of two layers, the top covered entirely in dark pink, red and light pink sequins and translucent tubular beads arranged in a dense floral pattern. It is edged with white rabbit fur and the back is lined in a shiny orange synthetic fabric. The bottom layer is a light coral colour with a thick edge of pink sequins and a thinner linear design in light pink at centre. This layer is also edged with rabbit fur, and backed with white synthetic fabric. A coral tab of fabric hangs below the centre front of the bottom layer. The collar closes at the back of the neck with four metal snaps.

Rattle shows five people (angels?) dressed in white robes cinched with red wool belts. Two also wear woolen skirts in red, blue, green, and white stripes with a shoulder sash. Each figure has short brown hair with a blue ribbon, a pink face, and stitched-on features in black thread. Each is connected to a small, round, two piece, unpainted wooden clapper. Bottle caps are attached to the bottom of the rattle’s cross shaped platform in pairs. The long handle protrudes from the bottom of the platform and is made of wood and metal, decorated with plastic tape in red and white.

Woman’s opera costume shirt, lime green in colour and made of a light synthetic fabric. The body of shirt is undecorated, relatively short, straight at sides, with a front button panel made of unbleached cotton with a small rounded neck-opening. Sleeves are wide and scooped, heavily embellished with green sequins and translucent cylindrical beads in the pattern of a dragon with a long, scaled body and clawed feet. Clouds and swirls in green and red surround the creature. The edges of the sleeves have a wide band of green sequins and translucent beads in ‘u’ shapes.

Cuffs for a Cantonese opera costume blouse. Heavily sequined cuffs with three metal snaps for attaching. The sequins make a flower pattern in gold and yellow. A square stamp enclosing Chinese characters can be found on the back of each cuff.