MASCARA   -   MASK   -   MASCHERA   -   MASQUE   -   MASKER   

The Mask is a piece of art coming from ancient human age, we say 6.000BC.

They were used for feasts, wars, hunting, religious ceremonials, and many other social expressions.

In Europe, for instance, everybody knows the masks in the Carnival of Venice  and  in the Jewish Purim festivities. And before that,  in the ancient Greek theatre and in the ancient Rome where they used masks at funerals, rituals and festivals.

Africa gave us, and still gives, wonderful maks used in masquerades, part of religious ceremonies to comunicate with spirits and ancestors. 

And in Oceania the masks are used for religious ceremonies. In Papua New Guinea they placed big maks, the duk-duk,  to protect from bad spirits.

In America they also used masks for rituals, religious ceremonies and masquerades, mainly  in Latin America.

In Asia, from Japan to Indonesia, China to Korea, among others, they  have  a very rich tradition on masks. Until now they preserve the mask in the dance and theatrical traditions.

All over the world we can see this wonderful art expression,  part of the culture of the human being

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Makonde, Mozambique

Punu, Gabon

Venetian mask

Haida

Teferians, Ethiopia

Afrique-luba,  Congo

Benim,  Nigeria

Tumenggung Indonesia Java Cirebon

 Myrina,  Grece antique

Makomde,  Mozambique

Xiuhtecuhtli Cultura Azteza Mixteca

Woyo

Kiiappaat,  Côte Orientale, Groenland

Malinaltepec

Krampus, St Johann im Ponsgau, Switzerland