A friend sent me an article titled “10 Things You Might Not Know About Traditional Japanese Masks” by Lucy Dayman. She is an Australian-born, Japan-based journalist, copywriter and editor. It is an excellent article, but I new only seven of the masks. So here are the remaining three. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. The cherub-faced Okame is the wife of Hyottoko, a cheerful lady who’s a symbol of good luck. Technically Okame goes under two names; Otafuku and Okame. Otafuku means good fortune while Okame means tortoise a Japanese symbol of a long life, so no matter which name you’re using she’s a positive sign…
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Perfect photos of Guatemalan mask
Q: The “Torito” is a frequent character in Guatemalan traditional dances. This a colorful example from the Quiché-speaking Highlands. This type of bull mask is used during the “Baile Toritos” in Chichicastenango or in several other villages in Quiché province, or the “Baile Vaqueros” in Totonicapán. It is made in cedar hardwood, and dates probably from the mid-XX century. The carving and style differs significantly from toritos made in other Mayan areas, as toritos with scorpions from Rabinal in the Achi-speaking Verapaces (see post of Sept 24, 2018), or the very typical small-size mask with a big bell and ribbons used in the Patzcar dance in the province of Sololá…
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Yellow Zaouli mask from Africa
Q: I would be really grateful if you could tell me if any of my masks are worth anything. I am only sending you photos of one mask, but I have about 20. Maybe I can upload them to a website and then send you a link to view them ? Kia, 1744 A: Zaouli is a traditional dance of the Guro people of central Ivory Coast. The Zaouli mask, used in the dance of the same name, was created in the 1950s, reportedly inspired by a girl named Djela Lou Zaouli. However, stories on the origins of the mask are varied, and each mask can have its own symbolic…
