Sxwayxwuy, its masks and dances are considered sacred. The Snuneymuxw Elders decided not to show photographs of the carved sxwayxwuy masks on this web site at the present time, but they pointed out that masks are an important part of Snuneymuxw culture. Most masks, and the right to dance with those masks, are earned and passed on as a privilege. The Snuneymuxw people train to become dancers, collecting knowledge and the proper energies before they are considered prepared enough to perform. It is very important that they make no mistakes, that no harm or damage comes to the mask, and that no unauthorized people observe the dancers as they prepare.

Beryl Cryer recorded the story of the origins of the Snuneymuxw as told to her by Tsaas-Aya (Jenny Wyse). The sxwayxwuy mask, here spelled Schy-Why, is a part of that story.

In the beginning as you know the Sun, Sum-Shal-Thot, made little people in different places sometimes one, sometimes two. [A] man and his wife were made at Staly-Up (Departure Bay) and these people had three daughters. … One day when those girls were nearly grown up the man at Staly-Up heard a Voice. "Get some cedar wood," said the Voice, "and make for yourself Schy-Why."

That, explained Tsass-Aya, is a very good kind of mask. Only certain people may use it and it must stay in the same family always. It has a big face, and has swan's feathers standing up front of it, and hanging from the top and down over the shoulders is an old-fashioned Indian blanket. It was easy to get the swan feathers in those days, for every year lots of swans would come and feed at the mouth of this river. Well, the Voice told him to make this mask, but he must never let anyone see it or know what he was doing.