Northwest Coast First Nations art by Morris Johnny and Gilbert Dawson - Dzunukwa/Wild Woman

Dzunukwa/Wild Woman of the Woods Mask is hand-carved by Kwakwaka'wakw artist Gilbert Dawson. It has been carved from red cedar, painted in black, red, and white acrylic and is adorned with horse hair.

She is an ancestor of the Namgis clan through her son, Tsilwalagame. She is venerated as a bringer of wealth, but is also greatly feared by children, because she is also known as an ogress who steals children and carries them home in her basket to eat.

Her appearance is that of a naked old monster, black in colour, with long pendulous breasts.^[1] She is also described as having bedraggled hair.^[2] In masks and totem pole images she is shown with bright red pursed lips^[3] because she is said to give the call "Hu!" It is often told to children that the sound of the wind blowing through the cedar trees is actually the call of Dzunuḵ̓wa.

Some myths say that she is able to bring herself back from the dead (an ability which she uses in some myths to revive her children) and regenerate any wound. She has limited eyesight, and can be easily avoided because she can barely see. She is also said to be rather drowsy and dim-witted. She possesses great wealth and will bestow it upon those who are able to get control of her child.

In one myth a band^[who?] tricks her into falling into a pit of fire. The tribe burned her for many days until nothing was left, which prevented her from reviving herself. It is said that the ashes that came off this fire turned into mosquitoes.