A stone mask, the oldest mask known.
This is part 2 of the previous column, Masks and fetishes in animism and shamanism, part 1.
African spirit masks
In Africa there is an ancient tradition of special ceremonial masks and costumes with spiritual powers and purposes. The oldest known mask, shown in the photo on the left) is made of stone.
[Photo shown under Creative Commons License. For more information on the mask and the license, and to view a larger photo, visit Wikipedia.]
Such masks are usually kept hidden away. They are brought out only for certain ceremonies when the people need to honor or consult with the spirit that the mask represents.
Europeans mistakenly thought African people worshipped the masks. Actually they were honoring the spirit that was ritually summoned to inhabit the mask during ceremonies.
Chakaba, performing at the Wharton County Museum, 2008
Generally the person who wears such a mask is anonymous. If the mask-wearer speaks, he does so on behalf fo the spirit of the mask. Sometimes the mask-wearer is in a deep trance, channeling the spirit the mask represents.
Here in Houston, you can sometimes see performances by initiated masked stilt dancers, each representing a particular spirit. I do not know if stilt dancers go into a trance, but even today, the responsibility of the mask-wearer is taken very seriously, and they must remain anonymous.
One initiated West African masked stilt dancer who sometimes performs in the Houston area is the Chakaba. You can find out more about the Chakaba (but not his name, because he performs anonymously) on the web site of Abubakr Kouyate, an African drummer with whom the Chakaba often performs.
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Hopi kachina masked figures
In Arizona, the men of the Hopi nation make masks and costumes representing the kachina spirits, the spirits of life. The wearer of the mask and costume is anonymous.
When worn in the annual kachina ceremonial dances, each kachina costume is believed to be inhabited by the spirit of the kachina it represents.
Because the Hopi kachina masks and costumes are seen only for a few days a year, centuries ago Hopi fathers began carving and painting small wooden figures for their children. That way the children would learn the intricate kachina mask and costume designs by seeing the figures all year long. That is the origin of the so-called kachina dolls that are so prized by collectors today.
For information on the Hopi people, whose name means, the people of peace, see this article on the Hopi nation in the Wikipedia.
There are other Pueblo peoples who share the belief in kachinas. And other nearby peoples, such as the Navajo and the Apaches, have somewhat similar spirit masks. For a nice article on kachinas, see the Wikipedia.
For more info, see the previous article, Masks and fetishes in animism and shamanism, part 1.
For more information on classic shamanic practices, see the list of links to shamanism-related web sites near the lower right corner of this page.
White Cranes has been studying and teaching shamanic practices for 20 years. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/whitecranes and http://www.twitter.com/shamanista.
To learn to do shamanic practices in Houston, you are invited to join the Houston Shamanism Meetup group, http://www.meetup.com/houstonshamanism.
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