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.
[Illustration:
_Masks_
_Indian Corn Maidens_
_Clowns_
_Japanese Characters_: _Old Woman_, _Devil Mask_, _Old Man_
]
[Illustration: MAP of the MASK]
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)_