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Moor Mask

TITLE: Moor Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Moro (Moor) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX173
MAKER: Unknown maker in Atlihaca
CEREMONY: Danza de los Moros y Cristianos
AGE: ca. 1960s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: deer leather and fur; adhesive; paint; jute cord

The Danza de los Moros y Cristianos (Dance of the Moors and Christians), also known as the Danza de la Conquista, is an important celebration in many parts of Mexico. The dance reenacts the reconquest Spain from the Saracens by the European Christians. The dance arose from the teachings of missionaries as part of an effort to instill respect for and fear of the Spaniards in the indigenous peoples, and to convince them that the victory of Christianity over other faiths—by violence whenever necessary—was inevitable.

The dance is still performed widely in Mexico, including in Mexico State, Michoacán, Puebla, Veracruz, and parts of Guerrero. Characters vary depending on locality, although they always include “Christians” or “Spaniards” and Moors. This mask represents a Moor.

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Moor Mask

TITLE: Moor Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Moro (Moor) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX028
MAKER: Unknown
CEREMONY: Danza de los Moros y Cristianos
AGE: ca. 1970s
MAIN MATERIAL: leather
OTHER MATERIALS: stitching; paint

The Danza de los Moros y Cristianos (Dance of the Moors and Christians), also known as the Danza de la Conquista, is an important celebration in many parts of Mexico. The dance reenacts the reconquest Spain from the Saracens by the European Christians. The dance arose from the teachings of missionaries as part of an effort to instill respect for and fear of the Spaniards in the indigenous peoples, and to convince them that the victory of Christianity over other faiths—by violence whenever necessary—was inevitable.

The dance is still performed widely in Mexico, including in Mexico State, Michoacán, Puebla, Veracruz, and parts of Guerrero. Characters vary depending on locality, although they always include “Christians” or “Spaniards” and Moors. This mask represents a Moor and is unusual in being made primarily of molded leather instead of wood.

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Tigre Crest

TITLE: Tigre Crest
TYPE: crest mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Tigre (Jaguar) Crest Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX025
MAKER: Jorge Garcías (Olinalá)
CEREMONY: Batalla de los Tigres (Tecuanis)
AGE: 2015
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: boar hair; paint

In Guerrero, Mexico, the Batalla de los Tigres (Tiger Battles) are today part of the Catholic feast day of the Holy Cross, but its origins probably reach back into the pre-conquest era worship of a jaguar god (notwithstanding the name and appearance of the mask, there are no tigers in any part of the Americas). Indeed, in many parts of Guerrero, the dancers are referred to as tecuani, the Nahuatl word for jaguar (literally, “man-eater”).  The modern dance is used to summon rain for the spring planting season.  The jaguars engage in a fierce battle, striking each other with knotted ropes. They are sometimes referred to as “machos.”

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Tigre Mask

TITLE: Tigre Mask
TYPE: hood mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Tigre (Jaguar) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX016
MAKER: Unknown maker in Olinalá
CEREMONY: Baile de los Tlacololeros
AGE: late 2000s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: boar hair; paint; boar tusks; leather tongue

The Baile de los Tlacololeros is one of the oldest folk dances of Guerrero, Mexico and predates colonization. It is performed at most major religious events, such as Easter, Day of the Holy Cross (May 3), patron saint days, and Christmas Eve. The dance represents the efforts of corn farmers to stop the depredations of a jaguar on their livestock.  A tlacololero is a farmer of the rugged, mountainous slopes of Guerrero.  The main characters are the farmers and their tracker, the perra maravilla (“wonder bitch,” the dog that helps hunt the jaguar), the farm animals, and a tigre (actually, a jaguar) such as this one.  Generally, eight to fourteen tlacololeros participate, dancing to the music of flute and drums, while the perra maravilla helps hunt and captures the jaguar.  The farmers then beat the jaguar with chirriones (braided whips) to teach it a lesson, stopping short of killing it. Unfortunately, the whipping sometimes leads to the violent expression of regional rivalries, resulting in serious injuries to the participants.  To protect themselves, the dancers wear leather chaps, blanket breeches, huaraches and thick sacks of ixtle on layers of huastle grass.

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Tlacolorero Rastero

TITLE: Tlacolorero Rastrero
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua & Mixtec
DESCRIPTION: Rastrero (Tracker) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX017
MAKER: Unknown
CEREMONY: Danza de los Tlacoloreros
AGE: ca. 1960
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; plant fiber; steel nails

The Danza de los Tlacoloreros tells the story of farmers who banded together to hunt jaguars committing depredations on their livestock. Its origin was the precolonial dance in honor of the Aztec god Tláloc, praying for rain for a good harvest.  It is commonly danced in Guerrero.

The Rastrero is the peasant who acts as tracker of the jaguars.  This mask was used for many years and periodically, though inexpertly, repainted as old coats wore off, with new plant fibers attached as beard and mustache over time.

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Tigre Mask

TITLE: Tigre Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Tigre (Jaguar) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX021
MAKER: Unknown
CEREMONY: Batalla de los Tigres (Tecuanis)
AGE: ca. 2010
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: boar hair; paint

In Guerrero, Mexico, the Batalla de los Tigres (Tiger Battles) are today part of the Catholic feast day of the Holy Cross, but its origins probably reach back into the pre-conquest era worship of a jaguar god (notwithstanding the name and appearance of the mask, there are no tigers in any part of the Americas). Indeed, in many parts of Guerrero, the dancers are referred to as tecuani, the Nahuatl word for jaguar (literally, “man-eater”).  The modern dance is used to summon rain for the spring planting season.  The jaguars engage in a fierce battle, striking each other with knotted ropes.

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Huehueskistli Mask

TITLE: Huehueskistli Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Huehueskistli (Old Man) Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX020
MAKER: Unknown maker in Acatlán
CEREMONY: Carnival; Fiesta Patronal (Patron Saint Holiday)
AGE: ca. 1970s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint; nails; dyed ixtle fiber headdress

The Huehueskistli (Old Man) is a kind of clown that appears in Carnival and patron saint holidays in parts of Guerrero, mostly Acatlán and Zitlala.  He wears a long sleeve white shirt, black vest and pants, and colorful sarape and bag, with a wig of dyed ixtle fiber on his head. During these celebrations, the Huehueskitli appear and dance in pairs to the music of drums and trumpets, waving large handkerchiefs, acting like drunkards, teasing women, yelling in a high-pitched voice, and making the crowd laugh by jumping on each others’ backs and goofing around generally. The tigres (jaguars) also appear during between the Huehueskistli dances.  The significance of the lizards on the face is unknown.

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Manueles Mask

TITLE: Manueles Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Novio (boyfriend) mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX018
MAKER: Nalberto Abrahán (Tixtla)
CEREMONY: Danza de los Manueles
AGE: 1950s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: blanco de españa; paint

Several versions of the Danza de los Manueles are performed in Guerrero. In some towns, such as Chilpancingo and Zoquiapan, the Manueles dance reenacts the drama of a village girl who is betrothed to a novio (boyfriend) and jilted for another girl (novia). The story ends after much squabbling among the parents and grandparents. This mask represents the novio.

In other towns, such as Tixtla, the dance has a completely different meaning and characters. According to historical accounts, a despotic and greedy Spaniard named Manuel governed Tixtla in the eighteenth century. To protest his maladministration, the indigenous Nahuas adopted a dance ridiculing his elegant dress and habit of jingling his silver coins. Instead of becoming outraged, Mayor Manuel promoted the dance as an annual event (possibly viewing the cathartic symbolic protest as preferable to a more material reaction). The mask’s appearance was frequently rendered as distorted and ugly.  The dance is performed to drums and violins and the costume loosely resembles an eighteenth century European suit with short breeches and a top hat, carrying a crooked cane like a snake and a teapot used as a rattle. An old woman supposedly resembling the mayor’s wife, dances as well, also carrying a cane and wearing a thick suit to make her appear obese. Other dancers represent the Spaniards under the mayor’s authority and wear highly decorated hats and costumes.

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Chivo Mask

TITLE: Chivo Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Chivo (goat) mask with ixtle fiber headdress
CATALOG ID: LAMX015
MAKER: Unknown maker in San Roque, Mochitlán
CEREMONY: Carnaval de Chivos
AGE: ca. 1960s
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: plaster; goat horns; oil paint; dyed ixtle fiber

In parts of Guerrero, multicolored goat masks are worn to celebrate the Carnaval (or Danza) de Chivos.  The goats, almost always played by young men, dance in a group to brass instrument and drum music wearing long headdresses of straw. Some chivos play percussion instruments as they dance.  The dance is usually performed in honor of the patron saint of the village.

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Tigre Mask

TITLE: Tigre Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Guerrero
ETHNICITY: Nahua
DESCRIPTION: Tigre (Jaguar) Helmet Mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX026
MAKER: Unknown maker in Zitlala
CEREMONY: Batalla de los Tigres (Tecuanis)
AGE: ca. 1970s
MAIN MATERIAL: leather
OTHER MATERIALS: mirrors; thread; boar hair; paint

In Guerrero, Mexico, the Batalla de los Tigres (Tiger Battles) are today part of the Catholic feast day of the Holy Cross, but its origins probably reach back into the pre-conquest era worship of a jaguar god (notwithstanding the name and appearance of the mask, there are no tigers in any part of the Americas). Indeed, in many parts of Guerrero, the dancers are referred to as tecuani, the Nahuatl word for jaguar (literally, “man-eater”).  The modern dance is used to summon rain for the spring planting season.  The jaguars engage in a fierce battle, striking each other with knotted ropes.

This mask is from Zitlala, where hard leather helmet masks are typically used to protect the masquerader’s head from the blows of the ropes. Such masks are either yellow or green depending on the neighborhood (barrio) where it was made.

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