Mascará. African Mask 

The ability to look the wearer in the eye during ceremonies indicates that they belong to the lowest ranks in the hierarchy of masks, unlike those who have narrowed eyes like their twin in our catalog. Among many African peoples the mask plays a fundamental role in every moment of human life. It is at the same time a powerful religious, political, social, cultural and economic institution. From an economic point of view, the mask constitutes an inalienable collective good, and with its action it guarantees the social stability necessary for the economic development of society. Furthermore, it is the guardian and protector of fauna and flora: when it is believed that there has been waste, the “mask” intervenes to heal the situation and prohibit the excessive exploitation of natural resources.