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Updated March 26, 2008 |
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Masks have been used in Mexico and other Latin American countries since ancient times. In Mexico the mask is used as a disguise and functions as a means of contact with the spirit world. The ancient Indians believed that each indidvidual has two souls, one of which resides in the head, the other in the heart. Covering the face with a mask is the same as removing the identity and the soul of the mask wearer from the everyday world. Masks do more than just hide ones features: They substitute a new face, new ego, new persona and new soul. Mexican masks are an agent of profound, mystical transformation in which the wearer becomes someone or something else. CLICK ON ANY PICTURE FOR DESCRIPTION AND PRICING INFORMATION
Although we carry masks from all over Mexico (and even Guatemala), maskmaking is an art practiced in abundance in the state of Guerrero. These masks are shipped all over Mexico to be used in fiestas, ceremonies, and celebrations. We can never be sure if the masks and costumes we receive from Guerrero have been used or not. They often look used. It is quite possible that someone wearing the very mask you like danced all night in it at a fiesta or in a ceremony. However, while masks are still created today as they were centuries ago to be used in dances and festivals, many are made now for collectors. Note: Collectors of Guerrero art cherish the crudeness and naiveté in the art and consider the blemishes as "beauty marks."
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