$1,780.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Late 20th Century
overall size 22"" x 20; mask with hair approximately 13"" x 13"" incl. hair
Gerard Anthony "Tsonakwa" Rancourt Jr. (born 1943) is a woodcarver, mask-maker, sculptor, storyteller, and author known for his Abenaki-inspired spirit masks and sculptures. Rancourt presents himself as an Abenaki (also spelled Abnaki) artist from central Quebec, Canada, with the name "Tsonakwa" translating roughly to "Wild Man Waiting at the North" or similar, given to great teachers in his narrative. He has described growing up on an Abenaki reservation, learning stories from family during hunts, and later becoming involved in Native advocacy, education, and arts.
He collaborated extensively with his wife, Marilyn Bernadet (née Sciolé), known artistically as Yolaikia Wapitaska (White Deer Woman). Together, they created masks, carvings, and storytelling performances that blend traditional themes with contemporary expression.
Rancourt is best known for carved wooden spirit masks that often feature animal motifs, horns, horsehair, feathers, beads, and vibrant polychrome paint. These draw on Abenaki and broader Algonquian spiritual traditions, depicting creatures like otters, trout, caribou, raccoons, or transformative shamanic beings.
His Art:
Materials: Pine or other woods, horsehair, leather, horns, mixed media.
Themes: Supernatural stories, animal spirits, transformation, and the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the natural world.
Examples include the Trout Spirit Mask (in the National Museum of the American Indian collection) and various helmet-style or animal-inspired masks sold at auction or exhibited.
He worked as a storyteller, artist-in-residence (e.g., at UNC-Charlotte), museum programs coordinator, and presenter at planetariums and cultural events. He has performed and exhibited across the U.S. and Canada.
Exhibitions: Shows at places like the Field Museum of Natural History (with his wife), galleries in New London, CT, and other venues featuring his masks and carvings alongside explanatory panels on Abenaki legends.
Publications: Co-author of books such as Seven Eyes, Seven Legs: Supernatural Stories of the Abenaki (with Yolaikia Wapitaska), Welcome the Caribou Man, and others that collect and illustrate traditional tales.
His pieces are held in museum collections (e.g., NMAI) and have appeared at auction.
Rancourt's spirit masks represent a modern continuation and interpretation of Northeastern Woodland masking traditions, often used in storytelling performances rather than strictly ceremonial contexts. Specific masks like the one referenced vary in design but typically embody powerful animal or spirit entities. His work remains available through galleries and has been collected by enthusiasts of Native American contemporary art.
Condition:
Excellent
Tribe:
Algonquian - Abenaki - Wabanaki
Year Range:
1975 - 2000
Region:
Great Lakes
Dimensions:
22 in20 in
Category:
Masks and Headdresses
