mesingw-thb.jpg (10664 bytes) Image: m022b Mask - Courtesy Roger Maussion MASKS

HISTORY

Masks have been around for a long time. Evidence of masks has been found in the Sahara Desert dating to 10,000 years ago. Masking existed in prehistoric Europe around 8,000 years ago. Masks were also used in the great civilizations (Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayans, Incas) of the Old and New Worlds. The Japanese, Chinese, and Indians have all used masks from ancient times, as have the Greeks and Romans. Masks are still used today around the world.

WHY MASKS?

Of all the parts of the body, the face is most closely associated with our self. If we want to change our self, we often have to change our face. We do this naturally with facial expressions. We can also change the face by taking something away, such as teeth or hair, or by adding something on, such as cosmetics, costumes, or masks.

Because our face is so important to us, masks have the ability to conceal, change, or transform the person behind it into something or someone else. This quality of masks makes them both playful and powerful, and relates them to ritual, religion, and myth. Masks allow us to pretend, and much more.

The English word “person” derives from a Greek word meaning “mask”, or the role played by an actor in a dramatic performance

Photograph of Puk'wus

Masks of Africa - Algerian Mask

In Latin, "larva" meant either a "mask," or a spirit or ghost. Thus, the caterpillar is a "mask" that the butterfly wears until it is transformed into a moth.

Egyptian Mask of Death

THE FUNCTIONS OF MASKS

Masks made of wood, grass, dyes, and other natural materials show us where people live, and what they know about their environment. Masks can also show us the beliefs of a culture. You should know that that in some areas, the use of masks is a sacred matter. Among the Iroquois of Northern New York State, for example, the "False Face Societies" have strict rules about the making and care of masks.

Medicine and Healing

Masks can be used for curing illness, and for correcting the causes of affliction. Religious leaders often wear masks when they journey to the Spirit World; the mask image represents the shaman's spirit guide who protects him or her during the journey, and aids in locating the cause of affliction.

Nature and Life

Masks can represent the forces of nature and life. Rituals for the continuance of life often involve masked performance, and usually correspond to seasonal changes or planting and harvesting ceremonies. The Pueblo peoples of the Southwestern United States, for example, perform dances to promote fertility and rainfall.

Rites of Passage

Masks are often used in "rites of passage", which are rituals used to mark important transitions in the life cycle of individuals, or groups in a society. In a rite of passage, an earlier identity ceases to exist, and is symbolically replaced with a new and entirely different identity. Initiation into adulthood or a secret society, marriage, movement to a higher social rank, and funeral ceremonies are often marked by masked performance.

Drama and Entertainment

In many cultures, the religious aspects of masks often diminished, and they came to be used as entertainment. In Indonesia, India, China, Japan and Europe, masked theater continues to be performed, either with religious or semi-religious overtones, while masked festivals are found throughout Europe, Central and South America and often coordinate with significant Church holidays.

FOCUS: Northwest Coast Native Americans

On the Northwest Coast, the Native American groups (Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl, Nootka, and Salish) developed elaborate woodcarving techniques used to fabricate tools, houses, huge dugout canoes, totem poles, as well as masks. Although the tribes have different traditions and cultures, there are many techniques and styles which are common to the entire region.

Mask Making and Mask Forms

Traditionally, the artisan would have crafted tools for gouging, shaping, and cutting fine details. In late 18th century, European trade brought finer cutting tools to Native Americans, making masks much easier to produce. This allowed not only a greater number of masks to be made, but also more complex masks with moving parts. Masks were usually made of red cedar wood, and came in three forms:

Single-face mask - made of a single piece of wood.

Mechanical mask - built with strings or hinges, which might allow a mask to open and close it’s mouth or eyes

Transformation mask – consists of an outer mask that opens up to reveal an inner mask form, which might also open up to reveal a third mask form

The Native Americans formed animal masks to communicate a certain symbolism, myth, or status. In addition, all members of a tribe belonged to a clan, or group of people who supposedly were descended from a specific animal. Therefore, animal masks held special meaning for certain clans (see “a short guide to important animals”).

Richard Hunt, Transformation Mask

Hunt, Transformation Mask, closed

CLOSED OPEN

Painting

Black paint is to add emphasis to facial features, while other colors are added for decoration. Eyes and eyebrows are usually painted black. The paint the artisan used was usually a mixture of lignite, graphite or charcoal (for black), ochre (for red), and copper minerals (for blue or green) with a mixture of chewed, dried salmon eggs. Finally, hair, feathers, gold, straw, skin, or other materials might be added to enhance the mask or make it more realistic.

A Short Guide to important Animals: Northwest Coast Tribes

	The Raven is considered to be a trickster. It has magical powers and can often create things just by imagining them. The Raven is also considered to be a hero, for it was supposedly the Raven who discovered the first human beings hiding inside a clamshell.
	The Killer Whale is considered the best hunter of the sea, for it hunts in packs. It is said that when fisher- men injure a killer whale, the canoe will capsize and the fisherman will sink down the Village of the Whales where they will be transformed into whales.
	Bears are considered to be uniquely human in nature. Bear masks are usually smiling and bear images are used on gifts to signify friendship.
	The thunderbird and eagle are the most powerful of creatures. The only thunderbird or eagle clans are those of high nobles or chiefs. The thunderbird is said to flash lightning bolts out of his eyes and cause thunder when he flaps his wings.

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The Functions of Masks

Masks were used for a variety of reasons by the Northwest Coast tribes. Some masks were intended to show off the status of the individual depicted in the mask. Other masks were worn by war or shaman secret societies, and used to enact rituals for the group. Masks were also used at Potlach ceremonies, a festival in which the chief of one tribe gives a gift to the chief of another tribe.

The Meaning of Masks

The Northwest Coast tribes believe that supernatural power resides in the mask itself. This power is released when a human puts on the mask; the spirit of the mask has entered the person, and transformed him into something beyond human.

The very form of transformation masks makes their intent clear. Simply wearing the mask caused a transformation in the wearer. But then the masks swing open on hinges to reveal a transformed identity within. In most cases the outer mask is animal, the inner human.

These "transformation" masks show the double nature of human beings -- both an animal and "something-other-than animal." The mask represents an animal spirit that stands in a special relationship to the masker or his family group. Recognition of this link between the human would and the spirit/animal world establishes an intimate connections between all forms of life. Humankind is directly and personally responsible for maintaining order in the world. Humans accept this responsibility by transforming themselves into animals or spirits through the mask, and by performing the dances and rituals belonging to the mask spirit.

ART AND MASKS

Complete and check off the steps below to create an animal mask.

A: Choose an animal

an animal totem (see “How to Find your Animal Totem”)
the animal that you are studying in in science class

B: Make the base of your mask

Follow the teacher’s instructions for the head
Cut out eye and mouth holes
Create facial features using newspaper, and junk. Tape them down.
Cover everything but the eye and mouth holes with paper mache

C: Paint your mask

Do you want to represent this animal realistically, or abstractly? Think about the art elements below, and make a plan before you start painting.

Line – what kind of lines would best represent your animal? Soft curvy lines, straight lines, or none at all?
Color – Do you want to use the natural color of the animal, or would a color that represents your animal be the most appropriate?
Shape – What kind of shapes will you use? Are geometric shapes appropriate, or would organic shapes be better?
Texture - What kind of texture do you want your mask to have? Will it be rough or smooth? Hairy or hairless?
Balance – You probably want the face of your animal to be balanced on either side. How will you do this? Are the top and bottom parts balanced as well?

How To Find Your Animal Totem

An Animal Totem is an important symbolic object used by a person to get in touch with specific qualities found within an animal which the person needs, connects with, or feels a deep affinity toward. You can have several animal guides through out your life, depending on the journey or direction you are headed toward. Your guide will instruct and protect you as you learn how to navigate through your spiritual and physical life.

If You Don't Know

If you don't know what your Animal Totem is there are several questions you can ask yourself. There are no right or wrong answers. Only you can truly know which Animal Totem(s) are right for you.

1. What animal, bird, or insect are you drawn to?

2. When you go to the park, forest, or zoo what animal are you most interested in seeing?

3. What animal do you most frequently see when you're out in nature or in the city?

4. What animals are you currently interested in learning about?

5. Which animal do you find most frightening or intriguing?

6. Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal?

7. Is there a recurring animal in your dreams or do you have one you have never forgotten?

Still Uncertain?

If you are still uncertain which animal is your totem, here a few exercises you can do to come closer to the answer.

1. Make a list of animals that have drawn your interest or have left a deep impression on you from paintings, photographs, stories, movies, carvings, etc.

2. Keep a journal of the animals present in your dreams or that you encounter through the day for the next month. How did the animal behave? Did you interact with the animal?

3. Find a place where you can be alone. Sit quietly and ask your animal to make it's nature known to you.