Chapayeca Mask

Description

Chapayeca mask handcrafted in tanned leather, painted with enamel, and hair and horsehair applications. His appearance is anthropomorphic with grotesque purposes, he has an open mouth; instead of ears it has horns decorated with flower drawings, this type of ears being the most representative; in the upper part a crown, and a long and pointed nose (chapala yekak), hence the name of the mask.

It is used by members of the Order of the Chapayecas or Pharisees throughout Lent. The reason for its appearance is to represent those who, according to the Catholic religion, killed Jesus: Jews and Roman soldiers. There is a great diversity of chapayeca masks, since each of them, in addition to representing the Pharisees, also symbolizes the sins of the members of the community. Through the mask, other aspects of the person who represents it can be known, for example, if it brings a large feather, the person, in addition to being a chapayeka, is a matachín or matachín musician; if he brings naka monkfish (colored flecks) it means that he is also an "ophysio" (being a pascola dancer, deer dancer, "tampaleo" or pascola drummer, deer singer or violinist).

This particular mask was made by an artisan for display purposes in the museum and not for oficial ceremonial use, the reason for this is that almost all the original masks are burned on Glorious Saturday or Sabado de Gloria in the Judas bonfire, for the purification ritual.