Bella Coola Style Sun Mask by Gene Brabant, Cree First Nation

Bella Coola Style Sun Mask, 1990 by Gene Brabant, Cree First Nation red cedar, cedar bark, feathers, pigment 30” high x 33” wide x 8” deep Gene Brabant was born in Victoria B.C. on October 16 1946. "My family moved out here from Saskatchewan during the second world war and after my father was discharged they stayed in Victoria." When he was seven they moved to James Bay right behind the parliament buildings in Victoria. The Hunt family lived a half block away and he soon became friends with the sons and daughters of Henry Hunt.Gene's father was a professional guitar player and singer. " I remember him singing Hank Williams and Indian songs with Mungo Martin and Henry Hunt until early in the morning, keeping the whole neighborhood up." Mungo and Henry were starting the Thunderbird Park project at the Royal Museum Of British Columbia. Gene, along with one of Henry's sons Alex, spent a lot of time at the park watching them carve the totem poles and building the big house. " One day we were sitting on the roof looking down the smoke hole watching Mungo paint one of the house posts. He yelled at us to get down before we fell." Gene also spent a lot of time at the museum looking at the…