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Scary masks from afar.

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Masks from African, Bulgarian, Native American, and Mexican tradition

Here's a collection of fabulous masks from around the world. What they have in common is that I love them. I'm currently copying one of the "El Tigre" masks and you can watch my progress at Instructions for making a giant puppet.

African Masks

Mexican Masks

These are from the collection at the Arizona State Museum

Since my mentee Jeimy is from Mexico, I started looking for Mexican masks, and found a wonderful variety online.


Mexican tiger masks ("El tigre")

From RandAfricanArt.com:

This style of Tigre (Mexican colloquial for Jaguar) mask is from Zitlala, Guerrero, they are used on the feast day of the Holy Cross on May 3rd, 4th,
and 5th. As part of the activities, men from different barrios put on jaguar costumes and carry out fierce fighting competitions that involve beating
each other over the head with knotted rope. Although this is very rugged for the participants, the fighting is considered a crucial aspect in petitioning
the deities for rain during the spring planting season. The impressive masks are made in leather and worn over the head to protect the wearer from
injury. The leather is painted green or yellow, depending on which barrio of town the participant is from.

The celebration of the Holy Cross is a ceremony during which offerings of pain are propitiated. Mountain, roadside and village crosses are adorned
with flowers and various offerings of fruit, bread, poultry, and more. Although this celebration is based in Christianity, the tradition of leaving offerings
in return for miracles or blessings from the god(s) has its roots in pre-hispanic times. In Guerrero, this festival is closely tied to Tlaloc, the rain god.
An important part of the festival in Acatlán centers around the Ahuehuete tree, a sacred tree because anywhere this tree grows water will be found.
The Nahua Guerrerense honor the tree and its spring with a procession and a variety of offerings. Here, the jaguar known as the Tecuane appears.

More tiger masks from Zitlala, Guerrero, Mexico

I'm building one of these so I'm starting a picture collection.

These fabulous heads are usually made of leather. There is mirror at the bottom of the eye rings and the hairs are boar's bristles.









Native American masks

Some masks from Native American tribes

















Are you feeling ambitious? Try a giant elephant!

Bulgarian mummers' masks

Bulgaria's Kukeri Mummers (part one)

On New Year's Eve in Bulgaria the Mummer's games are performed, by men only. They put on special masks hand-made by each of the participants.

Most of the masks are made wood. Different colored yarn, multicolored fabrics, mirrors and other shiny are sewn on.

The impact that the masked mummers make gets even bigger by the sound of the copper and bronze bells that hang on them.

Some of the masks have two faces, one good-humored, the other ominous.

The mummers aim to sweep away the evil spirits and the weird sisters via magic dances and scary masks, so next year's crops will be rich.

The masks show great craftsmanship and fantasy. They are carefully saved and are refreshed each year.

There are men called "dividzhii" dressed in coats with the firry side turned inside out. They have leather belts around their waists with bells on it. They put a mask on their heads. The mask is made of frieze decorated with colorful threads, ribbons and laces. They have a wooden sword in one of their hands and a mace in the other. In the past only unmarried men were allowed to take part in the ritual, but nowadays married men can participate as well.

The masks gives them the opportunity to do things that otherwise might seem inappropriate. The masked men jump, jingle with the bells, roll on the ground, sharpen their swords with the frieze and make jokes. They rock and fall on the ground to represent the weight of the ears of corn. They roll on the ground to gain power from it so that they are healthy. The jingle of the bells chases away all the bad things. The bells are always used in different rituals in all cultures as protection from magic.

Bulgarian Kukeri Mummers (part two)

"In the night before St. Vassil's day the troop goes from house to house making jokes with the hosts. They receive money and bread.

During the visits whenever they meat people on the streets, strangers or people gathered for the show the mummers make comic and even cynical jokes and play different games.

The spectacles joke and tease them all well. The parade is noisy and funny. The games are full of joy, conflicts, different costumes and persons, comical plays and improvisations.

It is a real national celebration full of freshness, humor, satire, a theatre in the open in which both the spectacles and the people making the games are performers. Laughter has special magical powers so people laugh to influence the flora and fauna.

Quite often the function of magic is full of theatrical elements. That is why a lot of researchers think that the mask games are in the beginning of theatre itself."

A Czech giant puppet...

A giant puppet from Ireland...

Some helpful sites

Rand African Art
Says African, but has lots of info about Mexican masks, some of which I quoted above.

A very stout helmet, the mask actually served as armour during the early May fiestas when the dancers beat each other over the head with knotted rope. Customarily, they have deepset mirror eyes...
Mexican Masks
In pre-Columbian latin america the use of masks dates back some 3,500 years. Priests summoned the Gods by donning masks and they were used in sacrificial rituals. The "shock and awe" effect of the masks was used with great success by these ancient priests.

The introduction of the Spanish in the 1600's saw the use of masks change in the hispanic culture. The Spanish used masks in the effort to spread Christianity, borrowing the powerful cultural icon for their use. The church used the masks in dramatic presentations of the stories of the bible and to intimidate the natives by portraying reenactments of battles.

Masks of the World
An on-line gallery for mask collectors and folk art lovers featuring tribal masks from Africa, India, the Himalayas, Asia, China, Korea, Java, Bali, New Guinea, Northwest Coast America, Mexico, Guatemala, the Caribbean, and Native America.

Behind the Masks (Bulgarian mummers)
All the mummers meet up in the morning and start the village round from house to house, where the hosts greet them with wine and nibbles. To the sounds of an ancient rhythmic trance and the many bells, the band performs a ritual dance. The mummers' heavy slow movements and loud shouts are meant to wipe out all evil spirits in the village and bring good health and a good crop to all.

Traditionally, a 'bride' is kept hidden in one of the houses. Men play all parts in the ritual, the 'bride', too, is a young lad; the 'groom' has the task to win 'her' over and take her away. Later on, the 'priest', another leading character, performs the marriage ceremony in the village square. Folklorists interpret this wedding as a symbol of male-female unity for prosperity and good fortune.

Other creepy puppets and masks

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This lens is part of Chapel Hill Fiddler's Puppets & Masks CollectionPunch and Judy • How to Make your Own Punch & Judy Dolls • Casting a plaster mold to make a paper mache head • Punch & Judy show: the other characters • Bread and Puppet Circus • How to Make a Handmade Parade • Adult Puppet Theater • Make a La Llorona paper mache mask • Scary Masks from Afar • How to make a giant puppet and an El Tigre head • The giant head masks of Jane Filer • Make a space alien head from papier mache • Creep masks for Halloween inspiration • See all the puppet lenses at once • The scary recycled puppets of artist Michel Nedjar

What do you think?

  • Geeve Aug 15, 2011 @ 3:41 pm | delete
    Aren't they great. Blessed again by a passing Angel :)
  • Laniann Jun 18, 2011 @ 7:18 pm | delete
    Had to come back - Blessed by a Squid Angel.
  • missbat Sep 15, 2010 @ 2:43 pm | delete
    These are some really awesome, and some scary, masks! I love how there's so many differences yet similar characteristics in the masks that come from different places. Thank you for sharing these!
  • Garrett Oct 15, 2009 @ 5:08 pm | delete
    great masks
  • kimmanleyort Sep 13, 2009 @ 8:42 pm | delete
    Really great photos!
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ChapelHillFiddler

Musician in Chapel Hill with two bands: Mappamundi, a world music - klezmer - swing band, and the Pratie Heads, a Celtic - British Isles - early music... more »

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