Native American smoke curing a human corpse, Pacific Northwest Coast; ca. 1910

Among the Kwakwaka’wakw of the Pacific Northwest, the Hamatsa were a society of tribal elite. Young men who hoped to become Hamatsa went through a lengthy period of isolation. Shortly before the end of his exile, each initiate was brought a mummy that had been soaked in salt water, cleaned and split open. The initiate was expected to smoke-cure the bound corpse for the final ritual. During the ritual the aspirant and the senior members of the brotherhood allegedly devoured portions of the corpse.

August 12, 2015 | Categories: American History, History, Photography, Weird | Tags: black and white photography, Edward S. Curtis, Hamatsa, History, human history, Kwakwaka'wakw, lengthy period, Native american, Photo, Photography, Society, the Pacific Northwest, tribal elite, Weird | Leave a comment