MASKS AROUND THE WORLD
AFRICA
• Village and social ceremonies
• Weddings
• Funerals
• Coming of age
• Represents spirits
• can be human, animal, spirit or
combination of all
• ask for spirit blessings and
protections
• Tells stories and impart wisdom
ANASI SPIDER MASK
West Africans use Anasi to tell many stories of why things are the way they are.
The first Anansi story was told over a thousand years ago Legend says ....
“Once upon a time, a long time ago, Anansi visited the
Sky God. The Sky God liked him so much that he gave
Anansi, and only Anansi, the gift of storytelling so that
Anansi could spin stories about life on earth.”
CEREMONIAL MASKS
Panu Mask of Gabon
Lulua Mask of Congo
Lulua Mask of Congo
MASKS OF NATIVE AMERICANS
•
ceremonies
•
given as gifts, and each one was hand crafted.
•
They have a special charm
•
created in the likeness of an animal
• represented ideas such as spirits, status,
and characteristics
•
Portrait masks
• These masks were modeled after a certain
person. This type of mask would depict the
status of the person who the mask was
modeled after.
CERAMIC WARRIOR MASKS OF BOLIVIA
BORUCA MASKS FROM COSTA RICA
The pride of the Boruca people is their ornately carved, wooden masks.
The masks come in many different varieties and styles, but authentic
Boruca masks demonstrate an expert craft, passed down for centuries. In
addition to the two most common styles are the Diablo and Ecological,
masks are made to look like jaguars, birds or a combination of the styles.
Amazon Native
Wapuri Mask of Peru
MASKS OF POLYNESIA
MASK FROM THE TORRES STRAIGHT ISLANDS
The long snout is constructed from
turtle shell with teeth and ears
made from wood. White pigeon
feathers are attached to a
triangular bamboo projection.
Cassowary feathers, coconut fibre,
cloth strips and shells hang from
the mask.
MASKS OF CHINA
praying to them for the power to
overcome disasters and protect
their life.
Masks served as a carrier of such
wishes.
communicating with gods,
bringing blessings,
driving away ghosts and warding
off diseases
sacrificial
INDIA
• to evoke certain reactions in the
beholder
• awe of the god represented
•
fear in an enemy
• ecstasy in possession or trance
• to cure disease in men, cattle, and
crops by impersonating the
supernatural power
• to represent religious totems
• to emphasize social wrongs by
enacting the role of wrongdoer or by
satire
MASKS OF INDIA
MASK IN THE U.S.
When and why do we use masks?
• Halloween
• Mardi Gras
• Circus
• Parades
• Costume parties
People wearing masks are actually
pretending to be the character.
Masks, like costumes, help people
to tell stories by providing the
audience with a way to tell the
characters apart.
MAKE YOUR OWN MASK!!