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Bookwus (Ba′wis)
The Bookwus, oil on linen, 59" x 56" by Richard Walking Buffalo* Tylman
*) Name 'Walking Buffalo' (Mostos Takohtêw) was bestowed upon Richard Tylman by Master of Ceremonies Okimaw Piyesiw Awasis (Cree chief Thunderchild) at the Tsawwassen Nehiyaw Matot'sân on the Tsawwassen Lands Reserve in Vancouver on 19 May 2018.
(close pop-up)
Bookwus
is one of the most important sacred beings in the mythology of the
Kwakwaka´wakw (literally, those who speak Kwak´wala) along the coast of
British Columbia. He is the God of the Underworld who eats ghost-food
out of cockle shells, and offers it to stranded humans along the
route of their journey. He brings to his realm the Spirits of the
Drowned who crossed over to the other side and already sampled his offering. He
takes control of their souls, and leads them to his invisible house in
the forest – decorated with skulls, treasures, and bones. Also, ‘the
Suicides’ congregate around him.
Bookwus is associated with the souls of people who died prematurely. He
is sometimes called the Spirit of a Drowned Canoe. He is a leading
example of the ghost-beings who belong to cultures of many Northwest
Coast nations. His more northern version – called Bawas by the Tsimshian
– is almost human in appearance.
Background
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Bookwus is a mystical supernatural presence in the oral mythology of Kwakwaka´wakw (previously known as the Kwaqiutl). He is the local equivalent of the Greek god Hades the "unseen", the King of the Dead. His spirit-ghost can be found among the beliefs originating from psychically distant regions. The masks representing him were usually carved with great care; they are often modelled on the human skull itself.
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| Bookwus dancer, or Paqusilahl, wearing his mask. Photograph from BC Archives, 1914. |
Bookwus has easily recognizable features such as the sunken eye-sockets
with round inhuman eyes below prominent, strong eye-brows. His nose is
curved like a short beak of a bird of pray, with two bright red
nostrils. He has elongated ears that stand upright and alert,
representing his acute hearing. His long ears feral in appearance (which is
a dead giveaway) resemble those of a silent wildcat in the region. His forehead and cheeks often have ridges carved
into them, to emphasize his skull-like features. Sometimes, his fleshy lips
can also be retreating to expose his perfect teeth.
Ancestry
The Tlingit (or the Land-otter People) have Kushtaka. The Haida have
Gagit, the Spirit of the Drowned hovering near him. The Nootka
(Nuu-Chah-Nulth) have Pukubts, etymologically synonymous with the
Kwaqiutl Spirit of Bookwus (Bakwas). The Tsimshian (Tsim-she-yan) have
Ba′wis.
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Mask of Bukwus,
The Burke Museum |
Bookwus, or the Wildman of the Woods reigns deep in the back country, or
sometimes on the edge of the forest near the ocean shore. He lurks at
the mouths of rivers where he persuades the souls of the drowned to
consume his ghost-food and come live with him. He owns an invisible
house in the woods where he lives surrounded by spirits. Some of them
can be brought back to life according to differing legends, especially
during the winter dance of the Hamatsa season.
Bookwus the Wildman is an anthropomorphic deity meaning, he is human
rather than animal in appearance, with human features. Even though he is
the ruler of the underworld, Bookwus has no means to exert justice on
anybody deserving of punishment in the afterlife. Rather, he is there to
ease the pain of parting with a cockleshell full of ghost food which
makes the deceased forget and forgo of the natural world. He travels in
the company of skeletal ghost-dancers associated with the Winalagalis
spirit ritual and its grisly concern.
Painting development process
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The
design for the "Bookwus" oil painting was developed later in the
series; but has made a major impact on all representations. In the
original sketch, Bookwus gave the impression of being impatient; sitting
around rolling his thumbs. That, wasn't necessary, given the
inevitability of his coming. |
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In
the subsequent study Bookwus was made to look intrigued during a chance
encounter. The new pose resembled that of an iconic bigfoot photograph,
thus emphasizing his elusive character. The concept of a front panel
was reinforced, but the bust idea (pictured here) was abandoned later as perplexing. Resulting from this, an earlier painting of the "Tsonoqua" was redesigned from scratch. |
General comment on references
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| Pugwis, MOA, Vancouver |
On
many websites, the supernatural beings of the Pacific Northwest are
either misidentified or lumped with other anthropomorphic creatures, as
one and the same. Bookwus, Bukwus – which is a feral creature of the
forest – is said to be known also as Pugwis or Pu′gwis, but Pugwis is an
aquatic Spirit of the Sea, whose unique features include oversized
incisors and gills. Pugwis is not an alternative spelling of Bookwus.
Posted by Richard Tylman on Facebook, September 10, 2018.
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