Stone Ancestor - Alder Mask
Stone Ancestor - Alder Mask
Kyle Tallio
13" x 8 5/8" x 5 1/2"
With cedar bark
"There is a village in the mid-upper Nuxalk Valley - sometimes referred to as Bella Coola, where the people of Nus’qalst relied on a green stone (S’qalst) for making tools such as adzes and axes. This stone was part of the community’s economy, and this is also tied to the origin stories of the village. This stone was traded up and down the West Coast, valued for its toughness and ability to hold its shape under heavy impact and heavy use. The green used on the mask represents the green qualities in the stone at Nusq’alst. It is an important characteristic of the stone, although it is not the only way to identify it."
- Kyle Tallio
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Kyle Tallio
CULTURAL GROUP:
Nuxalk/Heiltsuk
BORN:
1994
BIRTHPLACE:
Vancouver, BC
Kyle, whose traditional name is Skookum Xlhalhh ti Nan, is a fourth generation artist. He has been exposed to traditional Nuxalk culture from an early age, through frequent visits to Bella Coola and by attending cultural gatherings such as potlaches with his grandparents. In 2012, he moved to Terrace to begin mentorship under his father Lyle Mack, and eventually worked with his grandfather Alvin Mack in 2013 on a two week carving program for Ts'ktalclayc (Coming of Age - the third of the four cultural milestones for young boys). In fall of the same year, he attended the Freda Diesing Northwest Coast Art Program, and in 2014 his work was included in the school's graduation exhibit called Northern Exposure, which took place at Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Vancouver. In 2014 and again in 2018, Kyle assisted his family members in completing and raising two asqayalh (totem poles) in Nuxalk territory.
