Culture
46 NEWSWEEK.COM
Día de los Muertos
Mexico
The Day of the Dead commemorates family
members who have passed away. During this
end-of-October celebration, people will often
paint their faces or wear masks of clay or papier-
mâché that resemble skulls, as well as create
altars, or ofrendas, to celebrate the departed.FESTIMA
Dédougou, Burkina Faso
The biennial Festival
International des Masques et
des Arts (FESTIMA) celebrates
and exhibits traditional masks
from various West African
countries. Worn by dancers,
these masks are made of
leaves, straw and wood
and symbolize the worship
of ancestors and spirits
and also honor traditional
mask-wearing at rituals like
weddings and funerals.Bailes
Guatemala
Since the colonial era, masks have been worn in
various fully-scripted performances, known as
bailes or danzas. These tell stories both historical
and mythical. They are performed at indigenous
festivals and Catholic feast and often depict
animals, saints, conquistadors or Mayan warriors.Hunting Festivals
Alaska
The Yup’ik and Inupiaq peoples
wear masks during special
ceremonies, the most important
being the midwinter hunting
festivals. Carved by—or under
the supervision of—a shaman,
these masks sometimes
represent a shaman’s spiritual
helpers and can also be hung in
homes to ward off harmful spirits.Mardi Gras
New Orleans
The legalization of masks in
New Orleans dates back to- Though only legal on
Mardi Gras wearing masks
is a big part of traditional
Cajun and Creole events and
minimizes class differences.
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