TITLE: Chor Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Chiapas
ETHNICITY: Mayan (Zoque)
DESCRIPTION: Chor (clown) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX190
MAKER: Candelario Marciano Ramírez Díaz (Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, 1988- )
CEREMONY: Carnival
FUNCTION: Agriculture/Hunting; Celebration; Entertainment
AGE: 2014
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; glass eyes; putty; animal hair eyelashes; adhesive

The Carnival of Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, more commonly known as Coita, in the state of Chiapas, is famous for its masked dances recounting biblical tales and traditional Zoque (Mayan) dances. The dances are performed in locations called cohuinas and are separated into Spanish and Zoque categories. They include a panoply of characters, mostly masked. They include for Spanish dances:

  • the horse (caballo), who represents Santo Domingo;
  • two mahomas (Mohomedans), one representing Goliath with a wounded forehead, but also somehow representing the Virgin Mary (and appearing for some reason as a man), and the other representing St. Anthony; both wear a small, wooden pig head on their backs, which represents power in the Zoque culture;
  • David, a (usually unmasked) boy, in opposition to the Goliath mahoma;
  • enlistonados (Phillistine soldiers), who carry dagas (daggers).

For Zoque dances, the characters include:

  • two identical jaguar (tigre) crest masks;
  • two monkeys (monos);
  • bonitos (handsome men).

The only masked characters who do not dance are the chors, or jesters, who travel either single or in groups of seven. The dances occur only on Carnival Tuesday (Mardi Gras). However, Ocozocoautla has seven cultural dances that occur throughout the year, three of which involve masquerade. Aside from Carnival, these are Epiphany (January 6), and Danza de las Banderas / Pashtú (telling the stories of the Reconquista, or moros y cristianos, and of of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian). It also has four unmasked dances, such as Día de Santa Cruz / Copotí (May 3). Dia de los Muertos (November 1), and the Pastorela (December 24 and 31).

This mask represents a chor, and would be worn with a colorful costume and wide-brimmed hat.