Tocuaro, Michoacan Tocuaro is a small town located in the Patzcuaro lake side. Besides from masks he also carves angels and shrines for local churches. Men carve and paint the mask while women give it the finishing touches.Īmong the many mask makers in the community Victor Castro has been recognized for his fine and detailed work and has been invited to exhibitions around the country. The very soft wood is sanded until smooth and decorated with acrylic paintings. Most of the families in the village carve masks as a side job being farming their main livelihood.ĭevils, angels, human faces and animal masks are carved from the Tzompamitl tree. Nowadays the most recognized hand-crafting communities in the country are:Ī Nahuatl community in the Mezcala region located on the Balsas River basin with 1300 inhabitants, San Francisco Ozomatlán is known for its wooden masks. While traditional Mexican masks are made everywhere they are used, decorative mask making has developed in few communities. When the Pascola wears the mask on the back of the head he is representing a human and when he covers his face with the mask he is acting like an animal.ĭecorative Mexican Masks Hand-Crafting Centers The figures decorating the mask combine animal and human features. He wears a wooden mask that symbolizes the spirit of the mountains. Mayos, Yaquis and Guajiros consider there cannot be a feast without a Pascola and his dances help mediate between the community and the gods.īetween dances, he jokes and tells obscene stories. The Pascola, meaning the old man of the ceremony, can be defined as the host of traditional celebrations such as Patron saint days and the Holy Week by the indigenous groups in the Northeast of the country. The dances are different in every region of the country and although themes can repeat the masks used are different.Īmong the most common traditional masks in Mexico are: The Pascola Mask Traditional masks are made especially for dances performed in certain celebrations. Monte Alban, Oaxaca Traditional Mexican Masks Jade "Bat God" Mask depicting Zapotec God Of Night And Death Originally based on traditional masks, designs soon evolved thanks to the buyers' feedback and the crafters creativity.ĭecorative Mexican masks can be found in all sizes and qualities, there is some worth to be a collector's item while others are sold as souvenirs in tourists' destinations. When Mexico opened up to foreign tourists in the 1950's art collectors began ordering masks that were especially made for them which started the decoration masks making. These traditional Mexican masks are usually made by a mask maker and rarely by the dancers. Nowadays masks are used in communal ceremonial dances, particularly for the celebration of patron saint day, Carnival and Christmas. Murals and Codices have left evidence that masks were used by priests to summon the power of deities and as funerary masks for dignitaries.Īfter the Spanish conquest masks were used to catechize the native population through dramatic representations of Christian stories. In Mesoamerican cultures the use of masks dates from 3000 years ago. The use of masks in rituals or ceremonies is an ancient human practice across the world the oldest mask found is 9000 years old. The masks are mostly used and made in places where there is indigenous population, especially in the south of Mexico. Most masks are wooden although clay, stone and papier mache are also used to make them. Modern Mexican masks can be grouped in two categories: traditional masks used in celebration and ceremonial dances and decorative masks made for aesthetic purposes and usually bought by collectors or foreign tourists. Please mouseover golden words to get additional information.
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