Kukwadisila or Listener is from At‡a„im and is a legend about a young boy who was shamed by his father and went into the woods to commit suicide. He decided to seek supernatural power instead of killing himself. On his journey he met many individuals who taught him a great deal about life.

After learning his lessons, the boy returned to his village with the supernatural powers of the At‡a„im and to this day his story is re-enacted during the Dance of the Forest Spirits.

At‡a„im privileges were acquired by a young boy, “wa„waba'las, who was shamed by his father and went into the woods to commit suicide. However, in the woods, he changed his mind and decided to obtain a magic treasure and to seek supernatural powers. It was Grouse, Chief of the Forest Spirits, who led “wa„waba'las on a supernatural journey through the woods and who introduced the boy to the creatures of the forest. The forty masks and songs of the At‡a„im series include such imaginative characters as Stump of the Woods, One Side Moss in the Woods, Woman Giving Birth, Thrush, Walking Behind the Mountain Woman and the Kukwadisila. From Sleeper, “wa„waba'las learned the power of dreams; from Salmon, how to survive; and from Laugher or Woman of the Woods, a gentler side of being human. These masks were a gift to “wa„waba'las in which he gained an understanding of nature and the sacredness of life. When he returned to his village, he was a new man, powerful with the understanding of birth and death. When “wa„waba'las first entered the Supernatural house, Kukwadisila was one of the first to greet him as he sought supernatural powers.

The At‡a„im or Dance of the Forest Spirits has its origins among the Awi„inuxw of Rivers Inlet. It is a complex narrative dance involving as many as forty different characters. The At‡a„im is a re-enactment of a series of magical events that took place in a forest long ago that led to the mending of a rift between a father and son. Kukwadisila imitates the actions of the other dancers.

This mask was originally owned by Sam Charlie. Following the surrender of the potlatch regalia this mask was sent to the National Museum of Man, now the Canadian Museum of Civilization and was returned to the U'mista Cultural Centre in 1979.