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Torito Mask

TITLE: Torito Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Chiapas
ETHNICITY: Mayan
DESCRIPTION: Torito (little bull) mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX109
MAKER: Francisco Rosales (Chiapa de Corzo, 2004- )
CEREMONY: Baile del Torito y Parachico
AGE: 2017
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: adhesive; paint

The Baile del Torito y Parachico (Dance of the Little Bull and Parachico) is unique to Chiapas, the southernmost region of Mexico, and is most commonly performed in Chiapa de Corzo and Suchiapa. The dance begins with six to eight female dancers dancing to the music of drums, flute, and sometimes other instruments, after which a dancer in a bull mask and a dancer in a parachico mask enter, dance with the ladies, and stage a mock bullfight. Both the torito and the parachico wear black pants, white shirt, and a multicolored sarape.

This mask was rented out from Chiapa de Corzo to be danced in Suchiapa from 2017 to 2024.

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Longino Moryonan (Moriones) Mask

TITLE: Longino Moryonan (Moriones) Mask
TYPE: helmet mask
GENERAL REGION: Asia
COUNTRY: Philippines
SUBREGION: Marinduque
ETHNICITY: Filipino (Tagalog)
DESCRIPTION: Moryonan mask representing Longino (Longinus)
CATALOG ID: ASPH002
MAKER: Benedicto Malapote (Boac, 1962- )
CEREMONY: Moryonan Festival
AGE: 2024
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: horsehair; adhesive; paint; hardware; elastic bands

Every year during Holy Week, Catholic inhabitants of the island of Marinduque stage a passion play in which some dress as Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries who persecute and ultimately crucify a man playing the role of Jesus to expiate the town’s sins. The soldiers, or Moryonan (usually called Moriones in the media) wear wood and fiber helmet masks in imitation of the Roman legionary’s galea.

One of the crucial characters in the Moryanan Festival is Longinus, or Longino in the local dialect. Longinus is not a character in the Christian Bible, but according to post-biblical myths, he was a centurion blind in one eye, who in Christian mythology pierced the side of the crucified Jesus of Nazareth (Yeshua bar Yosef) with his spear. The blood that came from Jesus’ wound struck Longinus’ blind eye and healed him, converting him to Christianity. This conversion resulted in Longinus’ own beheading, and thus his martyrdom and eventual sainthood. This mask represents Longinus before the crucifixion; the post-crucifixion mask has two normal eyes.

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Kwan Kung Lion Dance Mask and Costume

TITLE: Kwan Kung Lion Dance Mask and Costume
TYPE: helmet mask; costume
GENERAL REGION: Asia
COUNTRY: China
SUBREGION: Hong Kong
ETHNICITY: Han
DESCRIPTION: Kwan Kung Lion Dance mask and costume
CATALOG ID: ASCN019
MAKER: Wong Kai (Hong Kong, 1928- )
CEREMONY: Lunar New Year
FUNCTION: Celebration; Entertainment; Protection/Purification
AGE: 2005
MAIN MATERIAL: reinforced paper
OTHER MATERIALS: bamboo; paint; cotton matte; horse hair; rabbit fur; adhesive ; steel rivets; silk balls; dyed string; dyed cotton cloth; hardware; dyed polyester cloth; stitching; steel springs; paint

The Chinese celebrate the lunar new year with lion dances, parades, and fireworks throughout the country.  Normally, the celebration begins on new year’s eve and lasts 15 days, and it provides an opportunity for entertainment, family reunion, honoring ancestors, and planning for the coming year. In the parade, armies of “big-headed Buddhas” clad in traditional silk costumes (or their modern polyester equivalents) follow the lion dancers.  They cavort for the entertainment of the audience and to bring good fortune in the coming year. The lion dance and dragon dances are the main events. The lion dance is highly acrobatic and bestows blessings on everyone present. The dragon dance is essentially a dance of giant puppetry. In modern Hong Kong, this is the largest festival of the year, and includes floats and decorations throughout the city.

Different protector lions take different forms. This mask and costume represent Kwan Kung (the red lion) and were used by the Fat Keung Sports Association for nearly twenty years. It was acquired thanks to a generous gift from the Association.

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Narasimha Mask

TITLE: Narasimha Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Asia
COUNTRY: India
SUBREGION: Uttar Pradesh
ETHNICITY: Hindi
DESCRIPTION: Narasimha (Lion God) Mask for Ramlila
CATALOG ID: ASIN006
MAKER: Unknown maker in Varanasi
CEREMONY: Ramlila of Ramnagar
FUNCTION: Celebration; Entertainment
AGE: 1950s
MAIN MATERIAL: paper maché
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; rubber bands; plaint fibers; hardware; adhesive

The Ramlila of Ramnagar is a month-long, open-air theatrical presentation of the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana. The Ramayana is one of the main religious texts of the Hindu religion, and revolves around the story of the demon king Ravana, who abducted Sita, the wife of Rama (seventh avatar of Vishnu), and Rama’s quest to recover Sita and punish Ravana. Traditionally, the plays are performed in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, where the tradition originated at least two centuries ago.

This mask represents Narasimha, the half-lion half-human god who is the fourth avatar of Vishnu and known as the great protector of Vishnu’s devotees. In Hindu mythology, Narasimha could accomplish the impossible, such as slaying the otherwise-invincible demon king Hiranyakashipu, who ruled hte universe for over 107 million years.

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Mahoma de Coche Mask

TITLE: Mahoma de Coche Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Chiapas
ETHNICITY: Mayan (Zoque)
DESCRIPTION: Mahoma (Mohamed) de Coche Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX119
MAKER: Rogelio González Pimentel (Ocozocoautla, 1956- )
CEREMONY: Carnival
FUNCTION: Agriculture/Hunting; Celebration; Entertainment
AGE: 2007
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, and the other representing the Virgin Mary, though appearing for some reason as a man; 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 the Mahoma de Coche, or Virgin Mary Mohamedan, and is worn with a colorful costume and tall hat.

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Koryak Spirit Mask

TITLE: Koryak Spirit Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Asia
COUNTRY: Russia
ETHNICITY: Koryak
DESCRIPTION: Spirit Mask (representing Kutcha?)
CATALOG ID: ASRU001
MAKER: “Nikobin” (Bulava, Kamchatka Peninsula)
CEREMONY: Unknown
FUNCTION: Agriculture/Hunting; Protection/Purification; Spirit Invocation
AGE: 1996
MAIN MATERIAL: cedar wood
OTHER MATERIALS: leather straps

The Koryak people of northeastern Russia use masks for several shamanic purposes. Typically, these masks are very simple and gaunt, unlike this example. They are used in ceremonies for the protection of the individual and community from harm and to ensure good hunting. Some of these masks represent the mythical figure Kutcha, a powerful trickster spirit that may take the form of a raven and that bridges the divide between the master spirits and human world.

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Chewa Nyau Mask

TITLE: Chewa Nyau Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Africa
COUNTRY: Malawi
ETHNICITY: Chewa
DESCRIPTION: Black Nyau Society mask
CATALOG ID: AFMW003
MAKER: Unknown maker
CEREMONY: Adult Initiation; Funeral; Secret Society; Social Control; Spirit Invocation; Status
AGE: 1970s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; animal hide and fur; hardware; burlap; thread

The Chewa of Malawi and Zambia are primarily an agricultural people with a matrilineal social structure.  The Nyau Society consists of both male and female initiates, with different rituals and roles ascribed to each.  Masks are worn by male members of the society only. Nyau masks may have several uses. Most commonly, the mask is considered to embody the spirit of a dead ancestor, and therefore the masquerader has immunity for any acts while masked. Some masks embody undesirable social traits and are accompanied by derisive songs; these are used for instruction of the young. Nyau society masks are danced at most major life events, including adult initiation, the elevation of a new chief, and funerals.  Masks may be made of wood, leather, feathered nets, or basketry that resembles an animal and fits over the entire body

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Chewa Nyau Mask

TITLE: Chewa Nyau Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Africa
COUNTRY: Malawi
ETHNICITY: Chewa
DESCRIPTION: Nyau Society mask representing a white person
CATALOG ID: AFMW002
MAKER: Unknown maker in Lahe
CEREMONY: Adult Initiation; Funeral; Secret Society; Social Control; Spirit Invocation; Status
AGE: 1970s-1980s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; animal hide and fur; burlap; thread

The Chewa of Malawi and Zambia are primarily an agricultural people with a matrilineal social structure.  The Nyau Society consists of both male and female initiates, with different rituals and roles ascribed to each.  Masks are worn by male members of the society only. Nyau masks may have several uses. Most commonly, the mask is considered to embody the spirit of a dead ancestor, and therefore the masquerader has immunity for any acts while masked. Some masks embody undesirable social traits and are accompanied by derisive songs; these are used for instruction of the young. Nyau society masks are danced at most major life events, including adult initiation, the elevation of a new chief, and funerals.  Masks may be made of wood, leather, feathered nets, or basketry that resembles an animal and fits over the entire body.

This mask represents a European person. It was featured danced in an article in volume 177, issue 5 of National Geographic magazine, page 40 (1990).

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Chor Mask

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.

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Tolai Alor Mask

TITLE: Tolai Alor Mask
TYPE: helmet mask
GENERAL REGION: Oceania
COUNTRY: Papua New Guinea
SUBREGION: East New Britain Island
ETHNICITY: Melanesian (Tolai)
DESCRIPTION: Alor (ghost) Mask
CATALOG ID: OCPG012
MAKER: Turkaul Uradok (Rabaul, 1956- )
CEREMONY: Duk-Duk (Tabaran) Dance
FUNCTION: Adult Initiation; Celebration; Secret Society; Spirit Invocation; War Preparation
AGE: 2005
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; vegetable fiber; cotton netting; dyed human hair

The Tolai people are one of three ethnic groups inhabiting East New Britain island. Prominent among Tolai social groups is the Duk-Duk Society, a male secret society that organizes adult initiation, war preparation, and other ceremonies. During the Duk-Duk Dance, also called the Tabaran Dance, alor characters represent ancestor spirits. Their bodies are painted like skeletons, and they wear frightening masks, usually painted white as a reflection of the spirit realm.

This mask was used for twenty years, from 2005 to 2024.

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