Introduction
Leonardo Carrizo, Los Diablos and Bailarina de línea, 2017, Tungurahua, Ecuador, digital photograph
Mask Traditions of Latin America
This exhibit presents a collection of Latin American masks from the Center for Latin American Studies’ Andean and Amazonian Cultural Artifacts Collection. Alongside are photographs of Diablada de Píllaro (Devil Dance of Píllaro) in the Ecuadorian province of Tungurahua taken by Ohio State Multimedia Journalism Lecturer Leonardo Carrizo. The majority of masks on display were donated by Ohio State alumnus Mark Gordon.
Introduction
Carnival and Diablada (Dance of Devils) festivals are among the most widely recognized celebrations in Latin America. A tradition of devil masks and characters can be found at important cultural and religious festivals throughout the Americas, including Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Devil masks are used in rites, dances and by performers as a means of visualizing transcendental aspects of different religious and cultural beliefs. Devil masks can be made in different styles, materials and sizes, each bearing the unique cultural characteristics of their region and community.
Leonardo Carrizo, Portrait, 2017, Tungurahua, Ecuador, digital photograph
Why Devils?
The character of the devil and its personification through a mask can take on different roles and meanings. For example, in the Dominican Republic, Santiago’s devils open up the Carnival parade and are considered the guardians of festival, warding off the crowds and keeping order in the streets. Other styles of devil masks and performers mock the memory of Spanish medieval knights or portray the legend of a demon banished to Earth.
In the Andean tradition, characters in devil masks are used in festivals to intimidate and frighten as well as caution spectators to avoid transgressing the norms and rules of the community. Through dance and performance, these devils humorously caution spectators that punishment will fall upon them if they do not follow good behavior. In other traditions, individuals dress up as devils and dance in festivals like the Diablada de Píllaro (Devil Dance of Píllaro) to wish away their bad luck, debt or misfortunes to the devil, yearning for prosperity in the new year. At a deeper level, devils can represent the shadows in our own character and the coexistence of good and evil present in all individuals, as well as a pluriverse worldview that transcends duality.
We invite audiences to explore the rich mask-making tradition of Latin America, consider the unique cultural syncretism of these traditions, and reflect on this distinct understanding of our world.
