Masks
Masks
by Jane Vest
Masks
- the very word evokes mystery, disguise, the unknown. Who or what is concealed
beneath it? Who or what is hidden and why? A mask may be beautiful, artistic,
or grotesque depending upon the use it is put to. It is made from whatever
materials come to hand, clay, wood, shells, animal skins and bones, antlers.
The Iroquois and Algonquins of New York State wore spectacular ceremonial
masks, the Alaskan tribes were noted for their colorful masks; the Navajo
for their Katchinas, to name a few.
Masks are older than recorded history. Early man used them as religious symbols to represent the gods they worshiped. Later on, animal masks were worn at ceremonial dances to insure a plentiful food supply for the people. When the Greeks and Romans invented theater, masks appeared on the actors depicting the characters in the play.
Masks gradually lost their position in religion and in the arts, entering the world of entertainment. In the 16th Century, the spelling changed and masks became masques. With the change came elaborate costumes, dancing, and music specially composed for the occasion. Dramas were also written for masques.
One of the mysteries of the 17th Century was "The Man in the Iron Mask." Who was he? No one knows to this day. There is speculation that he was of royal blood and for some reason, a threat to Louis XIV, King of France. The prisoner was incarcerated in the Bastille until his death.
The masque expanded into the masquerade and was eventually incorporated into the carnivals in such diverse places as New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro, the last frolic before Lent.
However, the concealment aspect of the mask has always remained. "Masking our feelings" is a common phrase. What does our mask project? Have we learned not to trust or do we need protection from a rapidly changing world that we often do not understand? At the stroke of some midnight, will we take our masks off?