Haida ceremonial dance rattle (Indianapolis Museum of Art) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ritual dance rattle
Year	ca. 1850-1880
Type	musical instrument
Dimensions	32.07 cm × 9.5 cm × 9.5 cm (12.625 in × 3.75 in × 3.75 in)
Location	Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis

This special rattle looks like a raven and was used in Native American ceremonies. It is part of a collection at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Haida people from British Columbia made this rattle around the mid-1800s. It has many important animal carvings, called totems. People believed these totems had spiritual power. Shamans, who were spiritual leaders, would use the rattle to connect with spirits during their rituals.

What Does the Raven Rattle Look Like?

This wooden rattle is carefully carved from one piece of wood. It has bright green, red, and black colors. The main part shows a raven holding the tongue of a frog in its beak. There is also another figure at the bottom that bites the frog's body. We don't know exactly what this figure is.

Understanding the Carvings

The exact meaning of these carvings is a bit of a mystery. Some people think the raven might give the shaman special vision. Others believe the frog's poison could give power. Long tongues are a common design in art from this area. They likely represent life force or energy.

While some thought these raven rattles were only for chiefs, they have also been found in the graves of shamans. This makes it hard to be sure who exactly used them. The true meaning of the rattle's pictures is still being studied.

How Was This Rattle Found?

Albert P. Niblack was from Indianapolis and collected this rattle. He was an ethnographer, which means he studied different cultures and their customs. He traveled a lot through the region where the Haida people lived.

In 1888, Niblack wrote a book called The Coast Indians of Southern Alaska and Northern British Columbia. He admired the amazing woodcarving skills of the people he met. However, he wasn't always impressed with the sound of their musical instruments. He once said that some of their instruments were "essentially for the creation of a hideous noise."

Joining the Museum's Collection

Vice Admiral Niblack gave this rattle to the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 1930. It has a special number, 30.550, which helps the museum keep track of it. You can see it on display in one of the museum's galleries today.

See also

• Shamanic music
• Cultural depictions of ravens