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By putting on another face, the
mask wearer magically enters an altered state.
Today in
Guatemala and Mexico, many indigenous groups use masks in the
performance of dances and pageants. The exact meanings of these
ceremonies may be long forgotten, but they typically enact a
mythical story intended to bring fertility, yield a good
harvest or scare away evil spirits. All traditional fiestas include
folk dancing whose forms date back hundreds of years to the
conquest and beyond. Some of these dances are rooted in traditions
brought from Spain - these are usually the religious celebrations.
Then there are the dances rooted in Mayan tradition where
animal masks are often used in dances like "Toritos" (the
Little Bulls), or "El Venado" (the Deer).
This collection of Guatemalan and Mexican masks comes from mostly
indigenous villages. Many have been used in various dances.
The masked dances, which often include costumes, are an enactment of
religious and mythological themes. These themes originated in the
Pre-Hispanic past when masks were buried with the dead, which suggests
they had a transformational function and meaning. Today, battles
between good and evil taken from myths or religious stories, as well as
scenes from everyday life are played out in carnivals and celebrations.
Some of the most well known dances are those
re-enacting the conquest with masks representing conquistadores such as
Cortez or Alvarado and religious stories with saints and devils. There
are also masks made for specific dances like "el baile de los viejitos,"
dance of the old men. And then there is the "baile de los Tecuanes,"
or dance of the wild beasts, where dancers wear masks of wild animals like
jaguars or tigres. |
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Bright Toro Mask $ 59
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Bright Skull Mask $ 49
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Red Skull Mask $ 49
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Rabbit $ 49
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Alligator $ 49
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Tiger $ 49
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Deer Mask $ 110
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Cadejo w/tongue $ 75
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Skeleton $ 75
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Toro w/tongue $ 65
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Pig w/whiskers & teeth $ 149
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Lion $ 139
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Jaguar & Mayan $ 149
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Smiling Jaguar w/ whiskers $ 95
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Old Leather Jaguar $ 350
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Mexican Jaguar $ 390
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Chubby Cheeked Angel $ 125
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Jaguar suit & mask $ 875
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Monkey w/glass eyes $ 55
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Monkey $ 49
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Happy Jaguar $ 49
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Friendly Billty Goat $ 49
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Small Monkey $ 24
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Small Bull $ 28
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Small Lamb $ 22
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Small Lion $ 24
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Small Giraffe $ 24
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Small Deer $ 24 |
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