The Indians of California observe annual ceremonies of mourning for the dead. Ten or more men prepare themselves to play the part of the ghosts. Disguised with painted masks, and adorned with feathers and grasses, they dance and sing in the village or rush about at night in the forest, with burning torches in their hands. The relatives of the dead look upon the maskers as their departed friends.
Other Indian tribes disguise themselves by painting their faces instead of wearing masks. The inspiration for the painting comes from a trance or a vision. The dancer makes his request to the leader of the ceremony. “My Father, I have come to be painted, so that I may see my friends. Have pity on me and paint me.” Elaborate designs in red, yellow, green, and blue are put upon the face, with a red or yellow line upon the parting of the hair. The designs most commonly used are sun, moon, stars, crosses, and birds.
The Indians of Arizona and New Mexico, such as the Hopi and Zuni, are ancestor worshipers. They believe that their dead relatives become supernatural spirits or “cachinas” or “kokos.” They consider them guardians that they may call upon in time of distress and need. If the crops have suffered from drought, they bring out the sacred masks and perform the rain dance.
The Zuni believe that the earth is watered by these departed ancestors, who as they pass to and fro continuously over the middle plains collect water in vases and gourd jugs from the six great waters of the world. They are unseen by the people below, because they wear cloud masks.
The masks worn by the Zuni dancers in their great winter festivals bear symbols characteristic of the cachinas and are repainted with great care before each dance. Many and varied are the names of the different masks, such as Mountain Goat-hunter Mask, Thrush Mask, Owl Mask, Buffalo Mask, Dust-in-the-House Woman Mask, Rain-Drop-Maker Mask, Long-Life-Maker Mask.
The ancient Aztecs wore masks decorated with turquoise and shell.
Masks
Indian Corn Maidens
Clowns
Japanese Characters: Old Woman, Devil Mask, Old Man
1 AFRICA (Congo) 2 ESQUIMAU 3 ITALY (Commedia del Arte) 4 ROMAN 5 Greece (Ancient) 6 ASIA (Thibet) 7 EGYPT 8 BRAZIL 9 NEW MEXICO (Hopi) 10 ARIZONA (Zuñi) 11 CALIFORNIA 12 NEW YORK (Benda) 13 PHILADELPHIA (Bellsnickles) 14 ENGLAND (Mummers) 15 FRANCE (Revels) 16 CEYLON (Lion) 17 NEW ORLEANS (Mardi Gras) 18 JAVA 19 SIAM 20 BURMA 21 CHINA 22 JAPAN (No Drama)