TITLE: St. Kitts Sugar Mas Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Caribbean
COUNTRY: St. Kitts & Nevis
SUBREGION: N/A
ETHNICITY: Afro-Latino
DESCRIPTION: Sugar Mas Wire Mesh Mask
CATALOG ID: N/A
MAKER: N/A
CEREMONY: Sugar Mas (Carnival)
FUNCTION: Celebration; Entertainment
AGE: N/A
MAIN MATERIAL: metal wire mesh
OTHER MATERIALS: N/A

Sugar Mas is the Carnival-type celebration of St. Kitts & Nevis, held annually from mid-December through early January (not during the period before Lent, as in the Catholic Carnival). It blends African heritage, European influences, and local creativity. Named after the islands’ historic sugar industry, Sugar Mas honors the past while celebrating modern Kittitian and Nevisian culture. The festivities include colorful parades, calypso and soca competitions, steel pan music, and high-energy street parties. One of the most iconic elements is J’ouvert, an early-morning celebration where revelers cover themselves in paint, mud, or powder and dance through the streets to pulsating music. Masquerade dancers, clowns, and elaborate costumes showcase traditional art forms passed down through generations. Sugar Mas reaches its peak on its Carnival Day and Last Lap. The groups include actors, Moko Jumbies (masked stilt-walkers), and masked dancers.

Sugar Mas masks in St. Kitts are colorful, handcrafted works of art, often made from papier-mâché, fabric, or wire mesh. They feature exaggerated expressions, bright paints, mirrors, feathers, and sequins, reflecting African traditions, folklore, and satire while adding mystery and dramatic flair to masquerade performances.

The Museum’s collection currently includes no representative example of any St. Kitts and Nevis mask.